The Adventures of Dark Falcon
by SilvorMoon
Summary: What is perhaps the only series in the known universe starring Skull.
1. Cedar Wind

  
  
ibDisclaimer:/b All persons, places and things in this story (with the exception of Cedar) are the property of  
Saban. "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" is the property of Big Idea Productions, and can be  
found under "Silly Songs With Larry" at http://www.veggietales.net in .wav or .rm format for your  
listening pleasure.br   
bAuthor's Note:/b Credit must be given where credit is due, and so I must sincerely thank Katrina G.  
MacLean. I have given Cedar a life, a voice, and a personality, but it was she who gave her a form and  
a name. br  
bTime Frame Reference:/b Late PRT, after the power exchange./I  
  
pcenterCedar Wind  
pBy: SilvorMoon/center  
  
p *iAir./i*  
p The first thing that went through Cedar's sleepy mind was that she was breathing again. It had  
been a while since she had done that, and it felt rather strange to her to have air moving in and out of  
her lungs like that. Still, it did cause her fuzzy brain to clear up a little and start working again, and she  
began to puzzle over where she was and what had happened.  
p She felt so stiff! She must have been sleeping for a very long time. And why had she fallen  
asleep standing up? This was a mystery, to be sure, but Cedar still felt drowsily certain that she could  
figure it out as soon as she woke up completely and started moving again. She slowly stretched her  
wings, feeling as if they had turned to stone, they were so stiff and heavy. She gave them a few  
experimental flaps, which helped some, but they still felt numb and clumsy, as if they, too, had fallen  
asleep. With her eyes still closed - she didn't want to try opening them yet, dry and sleepy as they felt -  
she worked the stiffness out of the rest of her muscles with dancelike bends and stretches and twists.  
That made her feel much better. Now, if she could just figure out where she was . . .  
P She opened her eyes, blinking at the unexpected brightness, and took in the view of a brilliantly  
sunny day, a vivid blue sky, and a circle of verdant trees. She seemed to be in a park of some sort.  
Then, becoming aware of someone's gaze pricking at her back, she turned and saw two people, human  
people. They were staring at her, eyes wide, jaws agape, fingers pointing in mute exclamations of  
disbelief.  
P "Who are you?" Ceader asked.  
p That broke the spell of shock on the two humans, and they screamed for all they were worth.  
Surprised, Cedar let out a shriek of her own. That only made the two humans scream louder, if that  
was possible, and they took off running at full throttle into the trees. Cedar tore away in the other  
direction, pumping her wings to achieve greater speed. Half-running, half-flying, she looked around  
desperately for anything familiar, but everything was strange to her, even down to the kinds of plants  
that grew here. She was lost, lost on an alien world with people who screamed at her, and she didn't  
know how she had gotten there or how to get home. A wave of hopeless terror overtook her, and she  
keened mournfully as she hurried onward, thinking only of running and running as far as she could . . .  
pcenter~*~/center  
p Ashley paused for a moment to close her eyes and turn her face to the sun, feeling its gentle  
rays warming her skin. It was such a beautiful day, exemplary even for sunny Angel Grove, and she  
was planning on enjoying it to the fullest. After all, there was no point in wasting a perfectly good  
Saturday. Later, she would join the rest of her fellow Rangers at the Youth Center for lunch, but for  
now, she was happy just strolling alone in the park, enjoying the perfect weather and the serenity of  
nature . . .  
p That serenity was suddenly shattered as Ashley's attention was caught by a sound. Someone  
was screaming in mortal terror. Ashley just rolled her eyes heavenward in mild annoyance. She  
recognized those screams, and she knew that the people responsible for them found reasons to scream  
like that on a near-daily basis.  
P Moments later, Bulk and Skull came charging out of the woods, evidently running for their lives.  
Their appearance was so sudden that Ashley couldn't get out of the way fast enough to avoid being  
bowled over. All three of the teens went tumbling to the ground in an ungainly knot of knees and  
elbows. There was a scramble as the three of them tried to disentangle themselves.  
p "You guys! Why don't you watch where you're going?" asked Ashley, with understandable  
irritation. Having someone as large as Bulk fall unexpectedly on top of her was not the most  
comfortable thing in the world.  
p "Ashley, you've got to get out of here!" said Bulk urgently. "Skull and I saw a monster on the  
nature trail!"  
p "Yeah!" Skull chimed in. "It had these wings and claws and glowing eyes! Grr!" He slashed at  
the air as an illustration.  
p At the mention of a monster, Ashley's hand moved reflexively toward her pocket, where her  
Turbo morphing key was kept safely hidden. She hadn't been carrying it very long, and she was still  
hypersensitive to its presence. Furthermore, Bulk and Skull were the two most monster-prone civillians  
she knew. If there really was a monster, chances were good that they'd find it. On the other hand, she  
reminded herself, they also tended to blow things way out of proportion. It was possible that they'd  
seen something perfectly harmless and misinterpreted it. Still, they must have seen SOMETHING to  
make them that frightened.   
p "Thanks for warning me," she said.  
p Bulk and Skull nodded in acknowledgment, and then continued with their running and  
screaming. Ashley watched them go and shrugged. She would never figure those two out.   
p Even as she was contemplating that thought, she suddenly heard another sound. It was like a  
shriek or a wail, something no human ever could have made. It was so unearthly, and so lost and  
frightened that it gave her chills. With one hand touching her key, ready to morph at a moment's notice,  
Ashley ran into the woods.  
p She hadn't gone far when she came to a small clearing, a sort of rest stop along the nature trail.  
The last time Ashley had been there, a statue had been standing on a pedestal nearby, a carving made  
from a cedar log depicting a rather abstract bird-creature. Now it was gone. Where was it? Ashley  
didn't have long to think about this, however, before a chorus of female shrieks and another one of  
those heartrending wails reached her ears, drawing her onward in pursuit.  
p She hadn't gone far before she was nearly knocked off of the pathway by a golden-pink  
isomething/i that came flying - literally! - down the path and went diving under a large clump of  
dense bushes. Up ahead, Ashley caught a glimpse of a group of picnicking girls running away in the  
opposite direction. They didn't seem to be hurt, only startled, so Ashley turned her attention to the  
creature hiding in the shrubbery. Moving carefully, so as not to startle it, she pushed away the foliage to  
get a look at it.  
p The creature wasn't exactly at Bulk and Skull had described it, but that was to be expected. It  
was hard to see exactly what it looked like, as it was huddled in a tight bundle to hide itself, but its  
general appearance was reasonably clear. It did indeed have wings, dainty ones with feathers patterned  
in a the muted pink and gold colors of cedar wood, and it was trying to use these to cover itself. It also  
had claws, of a sort, but they were only the ordinary kind that you might expect to find on, say, a  
sparrow's foot. Its eyes weren't glowing, though. They were round, amber-colored, and frightened.  
The poor creature was shivering with terror and making tiny chirping noises, like sobs.  
p "Shh, don't be scared," said Ashley soothingly.  
P The creature replied with a rapid set of chirps and trills. Ashley listened in confusion. She  
couldn't understand a thing the creature said, but she got the distinct impression that it was talking to  
her, not just making noise. She almost thought she could pick out a word or two.  
p "Slow down," she said carefully, thinking that if she was having a hard time understanding it, it  
probably wouldn't have an easy time with her speech, either. "Say that again more slowly, so I can  
understand you."  
p The creature turned its head around slowly to gaze at her with a look of amazement on its  
feathered face, and Ashley wondered if it had understood her. Then, incredibly, it answered her, slowly  
and deliberately. Its voice was heavily accented, but its meaning was clear.  
p "Pleece, help me. I am lost. I am frrrightened. Pleece don't hurrrt me. I just vant to go home."  
p "Don't worry. Nobody's going to hurt you," Ashley assured the whatever-it-was. "Can you  
come out where I can see you?"  
P "Don't scrrream," said the thing.  
p "I won't, I promise," Ashley replied.  
p The bush rustled, and the creature crawled out into view. It wasn't quite what Ashley had  
expected. From the glimpses she'd gotten of it, she had formed a mental image of a much-larger-than-  
average bird. That, however, was only part of the reality. Though it did have a pair of wings instead of  
arms and the head and feet of a bird, the rest of it was close to being human. It wore no clothing, but it  
didn't really need it. It had the basic shape of a female human being, but its form was as smooth and  
featureless as a child's Barbie doll . . . or, perhaps, an abstract sculpture. At any rate, when she folded  
one wing in front of herself, as she was doing now, her front was effectively shielded, while her back  
was covered by a cascade of thin, golden-pink feathers that began as a crest on the top of her head and  
fell almost to her knees. Its only other adornment was a gold necklace with an amber pendant. A  
breeze came up, stirring her feathers and carrying to Ashley a sweet scent of cedar wood. The  
bird-thing stood uncertainly before Ashley, waiting to see what she would do.  
p "What . . . who are you?" asked Ashley.  
P "I am called Cedar. I am an Aerial. I am lost," the bird-woman chirped. "Pleece, can you help  
me?"  
P "I can sure try. My name's Ashley," she said to the creature.   
P "Pleeced to meet you," Cedar replied. She held out the longest pinfeather of one wing,  
evidently expecting to shake "hands." Ashley bewilderedly did so. Then she touched a button on her  
communicator and sent out a call to her friends. T.J. immediately answered.  
p "What's up, Ashley?" he asked.  
P "Get the others together and meet me in the Power Chamber in about an hour," she replied.  
"I've found a . . . something kind of weird in the park."  
p "Why do we have to wait an hour?" T.J. asked. "Why can't we just go now?"  
P Ashley took another look at Cedar, who was eyeing the communicator with curiosity.  
P "I think I need to get it some clothes first," she replied.  
pcenter~*~/center  
p Ordinarily, Ashley would have walked the short distance between her home and the park.  
However, there was no way she could bring her fine-feathered friend downtown without attracting  
some unwelcome attention. Even with proper clothing, Cedar was going to turn some heads, and a  
Ranger had to avoid drawing attention to herself. Given the options, Ashley decided that traveling via  
teleportation might be the best idea. Cedar was impressed.  
p "Ashley fly fast!" she chirped. "Good trick, that."  
p "Miracle of modern technology," Ashley agreed. She hadn't meant much by the remark, just a  
bit of idle chat, but Cedar nodded as if something had just been explained to her.  
p Ashley opened her front door and stepped inside, cautioning Cedar to stay out of sight until it  
had been determined that the coast was clear.  
P "Hello?" Ashley called. "I'm home! Is anyone here?"  
P Evidently, her father had not come home from work, and a brief exploration uncovered a note  
on the kitchen table saying that her mother had gone shopping and wouldn't be back until later that  
afternoon. Thanking her lucky stars (Dune Stars?), she brought Cedar inside and quickly shut the door.   
P In her room, Ashley began digging through her closet, hoping to find something that her avian  
friend could wear. She wasn't hoping for much - Cedar was several inches shorter and a bit thinner  
than herself - but her luck was still holding out. Tucked out of the way was a shelf full of carefully folded  
garments, faded and outgrown, that were waiting patiently for someone to have the time or inclination to  
organize a yard sale. Ashley picked through these remnants and found a pale yellow sundress that  
looked like it would fit Cedar fairly well. By a stroke of good fortune, it was sleeveless, making it much  
easier to maneuver it over Cedar's wings. Also, the color matched the patterns of dusty gold and soft  
rose in her feathers. The bird admired her reflection in Ashley's full-length mirror.  
P "Cedar look like prrrincess!" she trilled delightedly.  
P "Very nice," Ashley agreed, secretly relieved. She had been a bit worried that perhaps this  
creature preferred to do without clothing, but it seemed that Cedar had been almost as uncomfortable  
in the situation as a human would have been. Watching the bird pose and preen, it also struck her that  
Cedar was not a woman at all, but a girl, perhaps only a little older than Justin.  
P "Ve going to see your frrriends now, Ashley?" she chirped at last.  
P "That's right," said Ashley. "We're going to try to help you get home."  
P "Home," Cedar repeated wistfully. "Hope Mama and Papa are all rrright."  
P *iPoor kid,/i* thought Ashley. "Don't worry, Cedar. Everything will be okay, you'll see. Hang  
on. We're going to fly again."  
P In two bursts of yellow light, one with pink overtones, Ashley and Cedar teleported to the  
Power Chamber.  
pcenter~*~/center   
p The rest of the Rangers were already present and waiting when Ashley arrived. They were a bit  
surprised at seeing Cedar, but not as surprised as Cedar herself was at seeing the Power Chamber.  
She chirped rapid-fire exclamations at Ashley, but in her excitement, she slipped back into the mode of  
speech that was most natural for her, and Ashley couldn't make out a word of it. The other Rangers  
stared.   
p "What is that?" asked T.J.  
p "She's an Aerial," Ashley replied. "She says she needs our help."  
p "She says?" Carlos repeated. "Is that thing like a bird, or is it, you know, intelligent?"  
p "Course bird intelligent. How 'bout you?" Ceadar replied.   
p Cassie laughed. "Not only is she intelligent, she's got an attitude! Does she have a name?"  
P "Bird name Cedar Vind," Cedar replied.  
p "Vind?" T.J. repeated dubiously.  
P "No!" chirped Cedar. "Vind, Vind!" She fanned her wings, stirring a breeze that tossed the  
Rangers's hair.  
P "Oh, iwind/i," said T.J. in understanding. "Why didn't you say so?"  
p "Did say so. Human not know how to listen. Bird want to go home vere people pay 'tention."  
The words were scolding, but her eyes danced, and her beak was half-open in a bird grin. Ashley  
found herself admiring the plucky avian. Here she was, miles from home and family, depending on  
strangers whose language she barely knew, and she could make jokes about it!  
p "Yo, yo, yo!" a voice interjected, cutting into Ashley's thoughts. "I musta been hearin' things,  
'cause I though a heard ya say your new friend here is an Aerial."  
p "That's what she says she is," Ashley replied. "Is that a problem?"  
P "It ain't possible!" said Alpha. "The Aerials are . . ." He suddenly noticed the frightened look in  
Cedar's eyes and decided that this wasn't a good time to be tactless. "Do ya mind if we talk this out  
puh-rivately?"  
p He pulled Ashley aside, out of earshot from the rest of the group. She followed with a shrug of  
puzzlement.  
P "Now, what were you going to say?" she asked.  
P "I was gonna say that she can't be an Aerial. Aerials are extinct. They've been extinct for over  
ten thousand years! They were all killed off in the last war, and the planet was torn apart. There's no  
way any of 'em coulda survived."  
P "Then how do you explain her?" asked Ashley, waving a hand in Cedar's direction.  
P Alpha approximated a shrug. "Either she ain't what she says she is, or somethin' seriously  
strange is goin' on."  
P "Hey! What are you two whispering about over there?" Justin called.  
p "Just trying to figure something out," Ashley said, returning to her friends. "Cedar, could we ask  
you some questions?"  
P "Sure, ask," said Cedar agreeably.   
p "Where did you come from?" asked Alpha.  
P "From Tien," answered Cedar. "Lived there with Mama and Papa."  
P "Well, she's got the planet right, anyway," Alpha said. "All right. If you're from Tien, how'd  
you get here?"  
P Cedar shrugged. "Don't know. Can't remember. There vas . . . magic, made bird sleep. Vhen  
voke up, vas here. Can't remember morrre."  
P "Well, I guess magic is an explanation for almost anything," said Justin. "What are we going to  
do now?"  
P "Figure out how she got here, and then try to send her back," Alpha replied. "What else can we  
do with her?"  
P "Pleece, hurrry," Cedar trilled. "I am vorried about my parrrents."  
P "We'll do everything we can," Ashley promised. "In the meantime, I'll look after you."  
P Cedar managed a small smile. "Thank you."  
P "I think I'll stay here and help Alpha for a while," Justin offered. "There's got to be something  
somewhere that  
can explain all of this."  
P "Ashley?" said Cedar plaintively. "I'm hungry."  
P Ashley sighed. "All right. I'll take you home and see if we can find you something to eat."  
Pcenter~*~/center  
p Sometime later, after Cedar had been given a lunch of sorts, consisting of an apple and two  
slices of bread, Ashley discovered that birds had rather short attention spans. Cedar fluttered around  
the house, looking curiously at everything in the house, analyzing each object with rapt attention for a  
moment or two and then flitting away to whatever else caught her eye. Ashley tagged along behind,  
showing her how the radio worked, protecting fragile lamps and small objects from the sweeps of her  
wings, and rescuing her from her father's exercise equipment.   
p "It's too bad I can't take you outside," said Ashley. "This house wasn't meant for people with  
wings, but people would throw fits if they saw you."  
P Cedar cocked her head in an expression of avian puzzlement. "Vould it be better if I vas  
human, like you?"  
P "Well, yeah," said Ashley. "No offense, but the people here are a little leery of aliens."  
P "Vy you not say so in first place?" Cedar replied. She shook her head, sending her long crest-  
feathers swirling around her face, and flapped her wings. Ashley wasn't exactly sure how it happened,  
but somehow, the long primaries of her wings dwindled into long, graceful fingers, and the rest of her  
feathers shrank away to reveal human arms. Her short beak receded into her face, becoming a mouth  
and a nose. Her round bird's eyes widened into oval human ones, and her crest-feathers became a  
waterfall of strawberry-blonde human hair. The bird's claws on her feet became a set of ordinary toes.  
She grinned at Ashley, enjoying the human's surprise.  
P "What you think now, Ashley?" she asked. Her accent was no longer quite so pronounced.  
Perhaps much of how she had been speaking was due to the shape of her beak. Ashley revised her  
estimate of the bird's age - in human form, she looked about fifteen.  
p "How did you do that?" Ashley replied.  
P "All Aerials can do this. It is what we are. Sometimes we are birds, sometimes we are humans,  
and sometimes we are both. Is best to be both. Can fly or walk that way. Can speak bird or human  
talk."  
P "I see," said Ashley. "Well, if you'd like me to show you the town, I think we'd better find you  
some shoes."   
p "Shoes? What shoes?" asked Cedar curiously.  
P "For your feet. You wouldn't want to walk around on the pavement barefoot, would you?"  
P "Pavement? Don't know that word."   
p "Just trust me on this one, okay?"  
p Back to the closet they went, and Ashley made another excavation. None of her own shoes  
looked right on Cedar's tiny feet, but she finally managed to find a pair of sandals that could be  
adjusted to halfway suit her. Cedar was quite impressed with them. They had heels on them that made  
her taller, and she clip-clopped around in them proudly, giggling when they wobbled because of the  
inexact fit.   
p They went out. Cedar stared at everything, chattering a mile a minute. She had never seen a city  
like this, with such huge buildings and people in such strange clothes, nor had she ever encountered an  
automobile before. She pelted Ashley with questions and exclamations until the Ranger finally shushed  
her. Her excited voice with its odd accent was attracting the attention of most of the people in the  
immediate vicinity, and Ashley wanted to keep a low profile if at all possible, though that looked as if it  
might be hard to do with Cedar around. Not only did her speech carry the allure of something foreign,  
she was also uncommonly pretty. Furthermore, she wanted to look at everything, and Ashley had her  
hands full trying to keep the exuberant Cedar from trying to run out into the street.  
P One of the people whose eye was caught by this odd spectacle was Skull. As usual, he was  
trailing along behind his friend Bulk like the tail of a kite. Bulk knew exactly where he was going, and  
was intent on getting there as soon as possible, and he kept his mind on whatever high-flying plans his  
busy mind was cooking up, paying little attention to what was going on around him. Skull, on the other  
hand, drifted along aimlessly, letting his gaze and his mind wander. It was thus that he was the first of  
the pair to catch sight of Cedar. He saw her coming in the other direction on the other side of the street.  
He continued following her with his eyes until she had passed him, and then he continued turning around  
and watching her until he was walking backwards. He walked straight into a telephone pole and fell  
down, much to the amusement of the onlookers. Bulk, noticing that he had lost his counterpart, turned  
around to see what had happened.  
P "Skull, what are you doing down there?" he asked, as his lanky friend tried clumsily to climb to  
his feet.  
P Skull tried his best to blurt out an explanation, even though he hadn't quite decided how it had  
happened himself. "I was just watching that girl, and . . ."  
p "Huh? What girl?" Bulk looked around, following Skull's pointing finger. What he saw was a  
pretty young lady with astonishing golden-red hair, wearing a faded yellow sundress and oversized  
sandals. Ashley was following her, doing her best to keep her on the sidewalk.  
P "Wonder who she is," said Skull, watching the two of them as they disappeared into the crowd.   
p "Hmm," said Bulk thoughtfully. "Maybe we should investigate!" As a former detective and  
junior police officer, he considered it his duty and privilege to know everything about everyone.  
p "Aw, she's probably just a . . . country cousin, visiting the big city," Skull suggested.  
p "Maybe, but maybe not," said Bulk, with significant emphasis. He was already busy dreaming  
up elaborate reasons why this girl wasn't what she seemed to be. "She obviously doesn't have any  
money. It could be she's a thief, pretending to be Ashley's friend, and once she's earned her trust,  
she'll rob her blind!"  
P "Wow," said Skull. "I never thought of that."  
P "That's why I'm in charge here," Bulk replied. "Or - here's an idea! Did you see how she was  
staring at everything? Maybe she's a spy, infiltrating herself into our society to steal secrets for her  
government."  
P "Aw, I don't know, Bulkie," said Skull. "Isn't she a little young to be a spy?"  
P "Don't you know anything? They hire people like that for spying jobs. Who would ever suspect  
an innocent-looking girl like that?" Bulk had already convinced himself that his fantasy was reality, and  
nothing his counterpart could say or do would convince him otherwise.   
P "Could be," Skull admitted. "But why would anyone want to spy on Ashley?"  
P "She probably needs her to be a scapegoat," said Bulk. "That way, if anyone finds out what  
she's doing, she'll have someone to put the blame on."  
P Skull shook his head. "I still don't know."  
P "Of course you don't know, bonehead. That's my job. And I say, we've got an investigation  
that needs us," Bulk replied. "Come on!"   
P Grabbing his still-confused accomplice by one arm, Bulk began hurrying along the sidewalk,  
pursuing Ashley and her friend.  
pcenter~*~/center  
P After a short tour of Angel Grove, Ashley was ready for a rest and a cool drink. Since she had  
already made arrangements to meet her friends for lunch at the Juice Bar, she convinced Cedar to  
follow her to the Youth Center. As she expected, the other Rangers were sitting around their favorite  
table, enjoying their sandwiches and milkshakes. They were surprised to see Ashley out and about, and  
were even more surprised when they got a look at her companion.  
p "Cedar, is that you?" asked Cassie.  
p "Yah, is me!" said Cedar cheerfully. "Ashley showed me city. Is wonderful!"  
P "She was ivery/i enthusiastic," said Ashley. "I'm ready for a break."  
P Cedar spotted the other Rangers's meals and looked at them longingly. She turned her pleading  
eyes to her escort. "Ashley, I'm hungry."  
P "Again?" Ashley repeated. "But I just fed you!"  
P "Well, I've been doing some research," said Justin. "The Aerials are half bird, and birds have  
metabolisms that are a ilot/i faster than humans. You'd better keep some snacks handy for her."  
P "Okay, all right," said Ashley resignedly. "Hey, Lt. Stone! I need one vegetarian sub for me,  
and one for my friend."  
P "Coming right up!" agreed the friendly proprietor.  
P Moments later, drinks and sandwiches were served, and Cedar joined her friends in taking their  
meal. Instead of actually picking up the sandwich and biting it, as they did, she tore off little pieces and  
ate it bit by bit: a bite of bread, a bite of tomato, a bite of lettuce, and occasionally stopping to lick her  
fingers clean in quick, preening movements.  
P "That's a pretty necklace," Cassie said to her.  
P "Hm?" Cedar looked down at the large amber drop that hung at her throat. There actually  
seemed to be another crystal inside the first, something that seemed to glitter with an inner fire. "Why  
do I have this? This is not mine. It belongs to my father."  
p "What is it?" asked Carlos. "Is it important?"  
P "Is very important," Cedar answered gravely. "Is called the Crystal of All Times. My father is a  
great wizard. He uses it to do mighty magic. I am not supposed to touch it. I do not know why I have it  
now. The memory is not there."  
p "Hmm," said T.J. thoughtfully. "Could it have something to do with how you got here?"  
P "It could," answered Cedar, after a moment of consideration. "One of its powers is to carry the  
user across time and space. Also does shape-changes and fire-magic. I saw my father do that, once.  
Cast a spell on a monster and turned it ash. Vooosh!" She made and explosive gesture with her hands,  
narrowly missing upsetting Justin's soda cup.  
P Suddenly, there was a clamor in the hall, and Bulk and Skull made their entrance. Bulk  
sauntered along in the way that meant he was up to no good and trying to look casual about it, and  
Skull ambled along behind in a way that suggested that he still had no idea what was going on.  
P "Better look out. Here comes trouble," Cassie advised.   
p "What you mean?" asked Cedar. "What they going to do?"  
P "Who knows?" Ashley replied.   
P They got their answer as Bulk strolled up to their table.  
p "Hi, Ashley," he said. " Uh . . .who's your new friend?"  
P "Ummm . . . this is Cedar," Ashley replied. "She's a, um, foreign exchange student. From . . .  
Norway." She hoped that would sound plausible enough. She doubted that Bulk even knew where  
Norway was.  
P "Oh, I see," he said, as if something very important had just come clear in his mind. "Well,  
Cedar, I hope you have fun in the U.S." He waved goodbye and hurried away, beckoning for his  
cohort to follow and not really noticing when he didn't.   
p Freed momentarily from Bulk's observation, Skull went and tried to strike up a conversation  
with Cedar.  
P "Uh, hi," he said.  
p "Hallo," said Cedar. "How are you?"  
P "Fine, I guess," answered Skull. "How do you like the United States?"  
p Cedar looked at Ashley for information, and Ashley gave her a significant nod.  
P "Is very nice," Cedar replied. "Not like home. Buildings here are much bigger."  
P "Glad you like it," said Skull. "Hey, if you aren't doing anything later-"  
P "Uh, Skull," Ashley interjected, "Cedar's really not going to have any time for that. She's not  
staying here very long."  
P "Oh," said Skull, looking crestfallen. "Well, see ya 'round, then. I gotta go catch up to Bulk."  
P "Good bye," Cedar said, and watched him reluctantly leave the Youth Center.  
P "Why you make him leave?" Cedar asked Ashley. "He was nice. Who were they?"  
P "That was Bulk and Skull," said T.J. "They're not bad guys, but they get into a lot of trouble."  
P "Skull," Cedar repeated. "He is warrior, then?"  
P Cassie giggled, trying to imagine Skull as an armored warrior, tripping over his own feet and  
running from the monsters in terror. "No. That's not even his real name. His real name is Eugene  
Skullovitch, and he just shortened it to Skull."  
P "Oh," said Cedar. "So he wants to be warrior and isn't."  
p T.J. nodded. "I guess that would work."  
P Cedar regarded the remains of her sandwich. Her picking and pecking had reduced it to half its  
size. "Done with meal. Want no more."  
P "I thought you were hungry," said Ashley.  
P "I was. Now I'm not," Cedar replied.  
P "You didn't eat much," Carlos commented.  
P Justin shrugged. "Well, she is a bird. You've got to expect her to eat like one."  
p "At home, Mama always left out bread and fruit to eat when we were hungry," said Cedar. She  
sighed. "Home . . ."  
Pcenter~*~/center  
p "We are the pi-i-rates who don't do anything! We just stay at hooooome and lie arouuuund!  
And if you a-ask uuuuuus to do anythiiiiiiing, we'll just te-ell youuuuuu . . . we don't do anything!"  
p Elgar was in a good mood. Loudly and off key, he raised his voice in a pirate's song.  
P "And I've never been to Moscow and I've never been to Denver, and I've never buried  
treasure in St. Louis or St. Paul, and I've never been to Greenland and I've never been to Tampa and  
I've never been to Boston in the fall! 'Cause we're the pi-i-rates who don't do anythiiiiing . . ."  
p "Would you shut up?" shouted Divatox. She was staring intently through her periscope,  
watching the Rangers as they ate their lunch. "I can't hear what they're saying!"  
P "But Antie Di, I like this song!" Elgar protested.   
P "Well, if you don't stop it right now, I'll have you singing to a different tune!" Divatox replied.  
She leveled her nephew a warning glare.   
P "Okay, okay, I'll shut up," said Elgar. "Totally quiet, not gonna say another word, lips are  
sealed, completely silent, absolutely-"  
P "QUIET!" screamed the pirate queen. "Where do you ilearn/i nonsense like that, anyway?"  
p "The Intergalactic Association for Annoying Monsters. I'm a card-carrying member." Elgar  
held up a membership card for his aunt's inspection.  
P Divatox sighed. "It figures. Now, go away and stay away!"   
p "All righty!" Elgar tossed off a snappy salute and marched away, singing, "And I never hoist the  
mainsail and I never swab the poop deck and I never veer to starboard, 'cause I never sail at all, and  
I've never . . ." His annoying voice faded as he drifted down the hall.  
P Muttering under her breath, Divatox returned to her spying, just in time to hear Cedar  
describing the powers of the magical amulet she wore.  
P "Hmm!" said Divatox. "A rare jewel with magical powers . . . that's just my style!I think it's  
time for a little armed robbery. Elgar!"  
P She waited, but Elgar did not appear. She called again, but with the same results. Finally, she  
screamed loud enough to make the chandeliers rattle, "iELGAR, GET IN HERE NOW!/I"  
P Elgar came dashing into the room as if he'd been stung by a bee.  
P "Elgar, why didn't you come when I called?" Divatox demanded.  
p "You told me to go away and stay away," answered Elgar with a shrug.  
p "Well, I didn't mean for you to . . . oh, never mind," said Divatox with a shrug - no point in  
trying to explain anything to Elgar. "Look here and tell me what you see."  
p "A periscope?"  
p "No, you dingbat! Look ithrough/I the periscope!"  
p Elgar obediently peered through the green lens. "Looks like the Rangers have got a new friend.  
Hey, she's kinda cute!"  
p "Do you see the necklace she's wearing?"  
P "Yeah. It's got some kind of funny orange rock on it."  
P "That, for your information, is the Crystal of All Times," Divatox replied, "and I want you to get  
it for me."  
P "Uh . . . how am I supposed to do that?" asked Elgar. "No way I can get near her with all  
those Rangers around."  
P "Distract them! Take some Pirhanatrons with you," said Divatox. "It shouldn't be that hard to  
get the necklace away from her. Even iyou/i ought to be able to do it."  
P "You got it, Antie Diva," Elgar replied. He saluted again and marched away, singing, "And I've  
never kissed a chipmunk and I've never plucked a rooster and I've never thrown my mashed potatoes  
up against the wall . . ."  
p Divatox stared at the ceiling and counted to ten.  
pcenter~*~/center  
p It was difficult to decide exactly what would be the most interesting thing to show and alien  
tourist visiting Angel Grove, but after considering their options, the Rangers decided that Angel's Bluff  
would be a good bet. Standing at the top of the cliffs on a clear day, you could see all the way to the  
ocean, miles distant. Looking in another direction, the sun made the glass and metal of the city shine like  
a huge diamond resting casually in the sand and grass. The Rangers thought the altitude might please  
their avian guest, and they were not disappointed.  
p "How beautiful!" she exclaimed. "Is very much like home. Are cliffs there like these where you  
can jump off and glide for miles without moving a feather."  
p "I wouldn't recommend trying that here," said T.J. "People wouldn't know iwhat/i to make of  
you. They'd have the Air Force and the Wildlife Preservation Society and the UFO watchers out here."  
p "Would be fun to fly," said Cedar. "Haven't in long time. Bird meant to fly."  
p "Maybe later, when it's dark," Ashley suggested. She stopped to consider the implications of  
that idea. How long would Cedar be staying here? Another few hours? Overnight? A few days? A  
week? Or . . . what if she never got home?  
p If the Rangers had been looking out behind them instead of admiring the view in front of them,  
they would have been witness to a rather interesting spectacle. Two bushes, one large and one  
somewhat smaller, were making their way doggedly across the grassy plains that topped the bluffs.  
Every now and then, they would pause, as if to survey the terrain, and then they would press on. A  
closer look would have revealed that they were not bushes at all, but Bulk and Skull dressed in fake  
leaves and camouflage gear, carrying field glasses - but any native of Angel Grove could have guessed  
that.  
p "Why are we doing this?" asked Skull, swatting at a buzzing beetle that was trying to decide if  
his foliage was real or not.  
p "Somebody has to keep an eye on the spy," Bulk replied. "This is the perfect place for her to  
make a move - no people for miles around. She could do anything she wanted to and get away with it if  
we weren't here keeping watch."  
p "Bulk, I really don't think Cedar's a spy," said Skull. "I talked to her a little while. She seemed  
pretty nice to me."  
p "That's her job," Bulk replied. "How would she ever find out anything if she couldn't get  
anyone to trust her? Now, come on! We've got to get closer so we can hear what they're saying."  
p The Rangers didn't see the two bushes approaching. They did, however, see Elgar and the  
Pirhanatrons as they appeared out of nowhere.  
p "All right, friends and neighbors," said Elgar cheerfully, "I haven't got all day, so just hand over  
that crystal thingamajigger and let's get this over with."  
p "Can't have it! Mine!" Cedar shrieked defiantly.  
p "If you want it, you'll have to come through us!" said T.J.  
p "If you insist," Elgar replied. "Go to it, Pirhanatrons!"  
p Instantly, the Rangers were surrounded by the copper-green, fishlike creatures who glared at  
them with their malevolent golden eyes. However, the team remained calm - the 'trons were nothing  
they couldn't handle. Cedar, enraged, transformed herself into a shrieking giant bird and started tearing  
at the monsters with her talons and beak or blinding them with her wings until one of the Rangers  
arrived to dispatch them. Elgar tried to get near enough to her to snatch the necklace away from her,  
only to get his hand jabbed with her sharp beak.  
P "Yowch! That smarts!" he exclaimed, hopping around and shaking his injured hand. "You don't  
play fair!"  
p Bulk and Skull would have been interested to see the performance that was going on, but at  
that moment, they were otherwise occupied. The moment Bulk laid eyes on the monsters, he took off  
running. Skull also tried to run, but one of his feet got tangled up in his "roots" and he fell flat on his  
face. He was instantly pounced on by the Pirhanatrons, who couldn't tell one human from another and  
considered them all to be fair game. Skull screamed at the top of his lungs and started desperately  
trying to scramble to his feet. Survival instinct took over, and he started throwing his "branches" at the  
Pirhanatrons, confusing them enough that he was able to make an escape. Thanking his lucky stars  
individually and by name, he ran with all the speed he could muster, hardly caring where he was going,  
as long as his feet took him away from the terrible fish-monsters. Unfortunately, his survival instinct did  
not tell him that his feet were taking him straight to the edge of the cliff.  
p Over the edge he went, his feet continuing to run even though they had run out of earth to run  
on. As he realized that he was no longer covering ground, Skull looked around, and then down. He  
saw a lot of DOWN directly below him, and the amount was getting smaller by the second. He pumped  
his arms and legs desperately, as if he could run on thin air if he tried hard enough, even as the earth  
rushed up to meet him.  
p "Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!" he screamed.   
P Cedar, out of the corner of her eye, saw the unfortunate teen go over the edge. With and  
eagle's scream, she swerved in midair and went diving toward him, her wings folded close to her body,  
her eyes half closed against the wind, her body seeming to be nothing more than a pink-gold blur.   
p Skull, his eyes clenched shut as he awaited the final impact, felt something crash into his  
shoulders and felt his body lurch, and his first thought was that he must have hit the ground upside-  
down, and he wondered why it didn't hurt. Then he realized that he was still moving, but his vertical  
plummet was leveling into a smooth dive. Surprised, he opened his eyes. A very large bird seemed to  
have grabbed him and was carrying him through the air. He could feel himself bobbing up and down  
with the rhythm of its wingstrokes. Then, surprisingly, he heard the bird speak.  
p "Should be careful, human. You don't have vings to fly like bird."  
p "You can talk!" Skull exclaimed.  
P "Course can talk. Am not stupid."  
P With a few more wingbeats, the bird reached the ground and gently deposited her burden.  
Then, she, too, landed gracefully on the ground and turned back into a redheaded girl wearing Ashley's  
faded yellow dress.   
P "Cedar?" asked Skull incredulously.  
P "Yah. Is me."  
P "You're a bird."   
P "Only sometimes," Cedar replied casually. "Better be glad can be bird. You would have made  
big mess otherwise."  
P "Yeah," said Skull. He still sounded a little shaky, but who could blame him. "You're a bird.  
You turned into a bird."  
P "Why not?" asked Cedar with a shrug.  
P Skull gave her a long, hard stare. "What are you?"  
P "I am Aerial. I am what you call an alien, from the planet of Tien. I am lost here," Cedar  
explained.   
P "Oh, an alien," said Skull. "Gotcha. That makes sense."  
P "That is good," Cedar replied. "Wouldn't want you to be confused. You are Eugene, yah? We  
met at Youth Center?"  
P "Uh-huh," Skull replied. Ordinarily, Skull disliked being called by his real name, but he actually  
thought he liked the way it sounded when Cedar said it. What ordinarily sounded awkward and nerdy  
to him suddenly sounded exotic and sophisticated. It had something to do with her accent, the way she  
brushed over the "g": iEuzhene/i.   
p "I am Cedar Wind, daughter of Hemlock Wind," Cedar replied. "But you will not tell anyone,  
will you? I do not want to get in trouble."  
p "I won't tell anyone," Skull promised. "They wouldn't believe me, anyway. Does Ashley know  
about this? That you're an alien and not a foreign exchange student, like she said?"  
p Cedar thought a bit. Her friends were Power Rangers, and she knew that Rangers did  
everything they could to keep their identities secret. It would be just as well if Eugene didn't know they  
knew the truth.  
P "No," she replied. "Ashley does not know. It will be our secret, okay?"  
p "Sure," Skull agreed. He was starting to get comfortable with the idea of Cedar being an alien.  
The fact that she had just saved his life probably had something to do with it. So did the fact that she  
was the prettiest girl to be nice to him in a long time. "Man, that must be so cool to be able to fly like  
that."  
p "Is most wonderful thing in world," Cedar agreed. "Is too bad you are human. You don't know  
what you missing."  
p "I'd like to be able to fly," Skull agreed, "but I'd be too scared. I'm afraid of high places."  
P "Why be afraid of high places when you can fly?" asked Cedar. "When you can fly, high places  
are best places!"  
P Skull couldn't think of a reply for that. There was a moment of silence, and in the silence they  
heard voices drifting down from the top of the cliffs.  
P "Cedar! Cedar, where did you go? Cedar!"  
p "Friends looking for me," said Cedar apologetically. "I should go to them now, before they get  
worried."  
p "Yeah, and I guess I'd better go find Bulk," Skull agreed. "I've gotta think of some way to  
convince him you're not a spy or a thief or something."  
p "Is that what he thinks? Truly?" asked Cedar in delight. "Is funny! You tell your friend you  
capture me, I confess everything. I going back to home, never be spy again. How's that?"  
p "Great!" said Skull. "Wish I'd thought of that!"  
p "Wish I could be there to see what he does," Cedar replied. "I going to go now, but I will find  
you again. Maybe someday I teach you to fly, so you don't have to be 'fraid no more."  
P "Wouldn't that be nice," said Skull. "See ya later, Cedar."  
p "Bye, Eugene," Cedar replied. Waiting until he was gone out of sight, she quickly shifted back  
to bird-form and winged her way up the cliff to her waiting friends.  
p "Cedar! There you are!" Carlos exclaimed. "We were starting to worry about you."  
p "No problem. All good," said Cedar. "Just got sidetracked by Pirhanatrons . . . how did I  
know what they are called?" she added in confusion.   
P "Try to remember," Cassie encouraged. "Maybe your memory is coming back."  
p "Thinking," said Cedar slowly. "Thinking of . . . great battles. Many Aerials fighting. Remember  
father using Crystal to cast spells and burn away monsters. Many monsters fighting on Tien, fighting for  
Crystal . . . That's it!"  
P "What's it?" asked Justin.  
P "Cedar remembers how she got here!" Cedar exclaimed. "There was great war between Good  
and Evil, two great generals leading armies, Zordon and Lord Zedd."  
p "But that war was ten thousand years ago," said Ashely. "That's what Alpha said."  
P "No interrupt! Getting to that," Cedar replied. "My father was great magician, used this Crystal  
to do many good things for our people. Great leader, he was. But Lord Zedd, he was jealous of  
Father's powers and vowed to destroy Tien if Father would not give him the Crystal of All Times.  
Father would not give it up, and so there were many battles. Tien army very strong, but Lord Zedd  
have many monsters he send to us. Father is old, and fighting in wars is hard on him. I begin to worry  
for my father. I think, if Crystal not on Tien anymore, maybe Zedd won't attack it, and father and  
people will be safe. I think this is good idea, so I tiptoe into Father's room and take it away from him.  
He has shown me how to use the Crystal for magic, and so I use it to travel far away from Tien. I think  
I am going to lead monsters on wild beetle-chase, then come back home and give Crystal back to  
father, make monsters think Crystal is lost for good. I am wrong. Monsters find me and follow  
everywhere. Finally, I can go no further. I stop on empty planet, use magic to turn myself into tree, so  
no one will ever find me. Cedar tree I am for many years."  
P "But it would have died a long time ago," Carlos protested. "Even trees don't live ten thousand  
years."  
P "Know that. Crystal is time-travel magic. Keep me safe, always same age. My spirit live inside  
tree. Tree makes seeds, tree dies, spirit live on inside trees. Go on like this for many years."  
P Ashley snapped her fingers as an idea struck her. "I just thought of something! There used to be  
this statue in the park carved out of a cedar log. It was a statue of a woman with wings and a head like  
a bird, but it's gone now. Do you think . . ?"  
P "Yes!" Cedar chirped. "Sculptor turned Cedar back into true form, so Cedar woke up. Now  
am here."  
P "But . . . what about Cedar's family?" asked Justin. There was a note of wistfulness in his voice,  
and the other Rangers knew he was thinking about his own father, wherever he might be. Like Cedar,  
he had been cut off from his family and left to have the Rangers tend to him.  
P Ashley sighed. "If what Alpha said is true, they're all gone."  
P "Gone," repeated Cedar, looking down at the Crystal. "All gone. After all I did, they still died .  
. ."  
P "Oh, Cedar, it's not your fault," said Cassie. "If you want to blame someone, blame Lord  
Zedd. He's the one who did the destroying. You did everything you could to try to stop him."  
P "I know," said Cedar. "Please. Leave me here alone a while. I need to . . . think about this a  
little."  
P The other Rangers nodded respectfully. One by one, they left in silence. Cedar sat down at the  
edge of the cliff, her eyes staring far off into the distance while her mind looked into deeper and darker  
places.  
pcenter~*~/center   
p Elgar tiptoed carefully and quietly through the subcraft, ducking through the shadows and trying  
to stay out of sight until Divatox had time to forget about his mission - and the fact that he had returned  
empty-handed. It wouldn't be the first time he had failed miserably on an assignment, but somehow,  
that never made her any more accepting of the idea. He was just congratulating himself on giving his  
aunt the slip, when a hand suddenly grabbed his collar in an iron grip.  
p "Well?" asked Divatox imperiously. "Where's the necklace?"  
p "Uh . . . necklace? What necklace?" Elgar replied. "You mean, uh, the one you sent me to get?  
I, uh . . . well, y'see . . ."  
p "Don't tell me you didn't get it."  
p "Okay, I won't," said Elgar. "You guessed, anyway."  
p "Oh, why do I even bother?" Divatox relinquished her nephew with a shove that nearly sent him  
sprawling. "Get out of here before I decide to be angry at you."  
p "Okie-dokie," Elgar agreed. No longer finding it necessary to hide, he ambled down the hall,  
singing, "And I've never licked a sparkplug and I've never sniffed a stinkbug and I've never . . ."  
P "Argh!" muttered Divatox. She turned around and marched off in the other direction, humming  
to herself. Suddenly, the horrible thought dawned on her: she had caught Elgar's song.  
p "Elgar, I'm going to get you for this!"  
pcenter~*~/center  
P The Rangers were sitting around on Ashley's front porch, watching the sun head for the  
westward edge of the sky and just chatting about things - school and the homework they should have  
been doing and weren't - anything and everything to make themselves feel as if everything was normal.  
Finally, however, they ran out of things to say except for the most important thing. After a few moments  
of silence, Cassie started the conversation.  
p "I feel really bad about poor Cedar," she said. "I wonder what she's going to do now?"  
P "This has got to be hard on her," added T.J. "Finding out her whole planet's been wiped out . .  
. man, I don't know if I could deal with that."  
p "And she's just a kid, too," said Ashley. "Her parents are gone. She doesn't even have a home  
to go back to. What is she going to do? I can't keep her forever."  
P "Do you think we should have left her alone by that cliff?" asked Carlos. "I don't see how she  
could want to go on, being the last of her kind, all alone . . ."  
p "Carlos, don't say stuff like that!" Justin protested. "She's too smart to do something like that .  
. . Isn't she?"  
P The question was answered when a dark, moving spot against the sky suddenly resolved itself  
into the form of a large bird. It touched down in Ashley's front yard and transformed into the familiar  
shape of their friend.  
p "Hey, Cedar," T.J. greeted. "Done thinking?"  
P Cedar nodded. "I'm going home."  
P "What?" asked Ashley. "How can you go home? There's nothing left."  
P "Not now," Cedar replied, "but in my time, planet was still there. Will use the Crystal to send  
myself back to where I came from."  
P "But there's a war going on," Carlos protested. "The planet's going to be wiped out. You  
know that."  
P "Don't know that," Cedar replied. "If the past is changed, it alters the future. If the Crystal stays  
with my father instead of being stolen, perhaps it will be all the edge we need to win. If not . . . I do not  
want to live when everyone I ever loved is gone. I will cast my lot with my people and hope for the  
best."  
p "Are you sure you can't stay here where it's safe?" asked Justin, without too much hope.  
P "No," said Cedar. "I have to go back. This is not my place. No matter what, I belong in my  
own home. Thank you for everything, Rangers, but it is time I went back."  
P She hugged each of her Ranger friends. Softhearted Ashley blinked back a tear.  
P "Good luck, Cedar," she said. "We'll never forget you."  
p Cedar didn't say anything, but simply regarded each of her friends with her solemn golden eyes,  
and her gaze said everything. With a flutter of rose-gold wings, she took off and soared out of sight.  
pcenter~*~/center  
p Skull was bored. Now that Bulk had seen the end of his spy caper, he had gone home and left  
his sidekick to fend for himself. Skull poked around in his backyard, mulling over the days events and  
wondering if it would really be worth the effort to try to find anything else exciting to do. Suddenly, he  
felt something grab hold of his shoulders and lift him up into the air.   
p "Hey, what's going on?" he shouted.  
p "Hi, human!" chirped a cheery voice. "Hang on tight! You're going to learn how to fly!"  
P Skull looked up and saw that his abductor was a familiar large bird.   
p "Cedar!" he exclaimed.  
p "Yah, is me. Told you I vould teach you to fly. Now is time to do it!"  
p "I . . . I don't think I want to fly," he said nervously.   
p "Too late! Look down!"  
p Skull looked. He was already many feet in the air, looking down on his house. It didn't look  
quite real from that height, more like something put together out of wood and construction paper. The  
whole neighborhood was spread out below him, each house on its own little block of green, like pieces  
in a game. Tiny people moved around, just little dots of colors that never looked up to see the flying  
man above their heads.  
p "Whoa! This is high!" Skull protested.  
P "Don't vorry," Cedar replied. "Is all rrright. I've got you. No reason to be afrrraid."  
p They flew on. Skull did not slip out of her claws and fall to the ground. When he realized that he  
was safe, he began to relax and enjoy the ride. They flew above the whole city, looking down on the  
shiny city. The cars in the streets reflected the light like water, looking like rivers running in the streets.  
Then they went out of the city, toward the desert, where rising heat rose up from the cooling sands  
below.   
P "Don't scream now," Cedar cautioned. "Going to drop you."  
p "What?!" exclaimed Skull. The next thing he knew, Cedar had let go of him and let him fall.   
P "AAAAAARGH!" he screamed, scrabbling at the thin air.  
p "That not the way to do it," said Cedar. "Spread your vings, human! Let the air hold you!"  
P Skull stopped kicking and screaming. Instead, he spread out his arms and legs, and he did feel  
the air resistance pushing at him as the warm updrafts rose from the desert. He wasn't exactly flying,  
but he wasn't exactly falling, either. It was just a long, slow glide, like a paper airplane's flight. Cedar  
glided along beside him, laughing.  
P "See? Told you that you could fly!" she exclaimed.   
P "Yeah! This is great!" he cheered. "Wah-hoo!"   
P Before he came too close to the ground, Cedar caught him again and lifted him back up. They  
flew across the desert, finally landing on top of Angel's Bluff. She dropped Skull gently onto the grass  
and then landing beside him, shifting back into her human form.  
P "Enjoy the ride?" she asked.  
P "Yeah," said Skull, a little out of breath. "I've never done anything like it. Thanks."  
P "Velcome," Cedar replied. "Vanted to give you that, as gift. You can be brave now, because  
you can fly. Think about it, and remember me."  
P "Are you leaving already?" asked Skull in dismay.  
P Cedar nodded gravely. "I have to. I vant to be vith my family again. I miss them."  
p "But . . . you'll come back, won't you?"  
P "I do not know," said Cedar. "Eugene, I am a traveler of time and space. My home is  
thousands of miles avay and thousands of years ago. I do not know if I can rrrreturn."   
P "But we were just starting to be friends," said Skull sadly.  
p Cedar laughed a little. "Ve are frrriends, silly. You be brave for me, and that is how you vill  
remember me. Goodbye, Eugene."   
P She surprised him by giving him a quick, birdlike peck on the cheek. Then, she suddenly  
sprouted feathers and leaped into the air. Skull watched as she sailed off into the sunset until she was  
lost in its gold and pink hues . . . and then, briefly, she was visible again as a blink of amber light. Then  
he knew she was gone, but he kept standing there, staring at the sunset. A wind blew by, and on the  
wind rode a single feather. Skull chased it, jumped up and caught it. It was one of hers, patterned pink  
and gold, and still carrying a faint aura of her wild-wood scent. For a long time he stood there, gently  
stroking the feather and breathing the sweet scent of cedar wood on the air . . .   
  
PThe End . . . for now.  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. The Reluctant Falcon

**_Disclaimer:_** Skull, Bulk, Professor Phenomenus, Lord Zedd, Zordon, Goldar, the Power Rangers, and all other things Power Ranger - related are the property of Saban.  
**Author's Note:** You'll notice that good ol' Lord Zedd has undergone, shall we say, some cosmetic changes. I have a reason for doing things this way, which will be made clear in subsequent episodes. 

The Reluctant Falcon 

By: SilvorMoon 

People worried about Skull. They always had, in a way, or at least joked that they did. Thime and time again, he would do something stupid or strange or inexplicable, and people would say to each other, "You know, sometimes I worry about him." But that had all been in fun. Skull would follow his best friend Bulk into one mishap after another, but the two of them would always bounce back. They had run into more monsters than anyone but the Power Rangers, yet they always lived to tell the tale. People had always liked Bulk and Skull in a mixed up sort of way. They were the royal court jesters of Angel Grove, adding a touch of the laughable and unbelievable to everyday life. Now, though, things were different. Bulk and Professor Phenomenus, Skull's only two real friends, had gone to Terra Venture and left him behind, and he was miserable. This was no laughing matter. 

No one, Skull least of all, knew what he was going to do without his partner. The two of them had been an inseparable pair, always together. They had almost seemed like a single entity, one mind in two bodies, Bulkandskull. It was always "Bulk and Skull," too, never "Skull and Bulk." Everyone knew that Bulk was the brains of the duo, while Skull served mainly as a spare pair of feet and hands and a voice of moral support. Skull was used to deferring to his best friend, or, in a more recent development, Professor Phenomenus. Without someone to tell him what to do, Skull felt cut adrift. 

A few people, aware of Skull's plight, tried to be friendly to him, but it was clear that he didn't exactly fit in with them. They were nice to him out of pity, and they knew it, and he knew it. After a while, he got tired of it, and he began to withdraw from their company. 

He spent a lot of time wandering around outside, aimless rambles that took him all over Angel Grove. Mostly, though, he walked in the forest. Being alone didn't feel quite so lonely when he was surrounded by living things. Here among the animals and trees and birds, boredom and restlessness could be replaced by a kind of cool, empty serenity. 

A gentle wind stirred the boughs of a stand of cedar trees, casting their sweet, wild scent on the air, and birds twittered as their perches were disturbed. The scent and sound triggered a powerful memory, strong enough that Skull had to stop his walking long enough to give it due consideration. From a pocket in his coat, he took out a feather. He had been carrying for almost three years, and it was beginning to look a bit ragged around the edges despite the care he had taken of it, but it still had its unique pattern of dusty rose and gold, and it still smelled faintly of cedar wood. It was a reminder that he did, at least, have one other friend besides the two who had left him. The feather belonged to Cedar, the beautiful alien girl who liked him despite his shortcomings, who called him Eugene and made it sound good, and who had picked his clumsy feet up off the ground and taught him to fly. Somehow, girls without feathers had never looked quite as good after he had met Cedar. She was gone now, back to her own time and place to accept whatever Fate had in store for her. Skull sighed and put the feather away. He sure felt like he could use a friend like that right now. 

Suddenly, he was struck blind as a pair of hands was clamped over his eyes. 

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" he squawked. 

"Guess!" a voice chirped. Skull would have known that voice anywhere, even if it hadn't been accompanied by that familiar perfume. 

"Cedar!" he exclaimed joyfully. 

"Guessed right!" she giggled, taking her hands away from his eyes and hugging him instead in her usual exuberant way. The young woman-bird possessed unbounded energy and unlimited affection for her friends. "Bird happy to see Eugene again!" 

"Yeah, I'm glad to se you again, too," he replied, somehow managing to turn himself around to get a look at her. "You've grown." 

It was true. The last time he had seen her, she had been several inches shorter than him. Now they could nearly see eye to eye. He noted another change as well. She had formerly been garbed in a cast-off dress and sandals of Ashley's, but she was now outfitted in something more the style of her own people, a simple white dress, unembroidered and unadorned except for a grey cord knotted at her wiast for a belt, and she was barefoot. Despite this show of simplicity, her wrists and ankles were decorated with silver and amber jewelry, and her glorious strawberry-blonde hair was caught in a silver clasp. The magical gemstone, the Crystal of All Times, still hung on a chain around her neck. 

"Is been three year on my planet," said Cedar. "Fighting goes on, but not as much, now. My father is making a treaty with the invaders, and we think the war is almost over. Father said Cedar could leave for little while, come visit." 

"Good thing you did," Skull replied. "It's been REALLY boring around here." 

Cedar looked sympathetic. "Aw, how come?" 

In reply, Skull gave a brief explanation of his friends's journey to Terra Venture, and how he had foolishly overslept and missed the departure. Cedar listened with no trace of accusation, no hint of anything that would show she thought he had been stupid. 

"So, Eugene unhappy 'cause he can't fly to Terra Venture?" she asked. 

"It's a lot further than you could fly," said Skull. "I'd need a rocket ship or something to get me there." 

"All you need is this," she replied, touching the jewel at her throat. 

"Are you sure?" he asked doubtfully. 

" Course sure. Crystal can go everywhere," said Cedar. "Brought me here from ten thousand years ago . . . oh! Got an idea! Eugene can visit my place!" 

"Hey, cool!" Skull enthused. 

"Yah, yah! Come visit Cedar for little while, then go to Terra Venture," said Cedar. "Would be lots of fun!" 

"All right! Let's go!" said Skull. It sounded like the perfect solution to him. How could it go wrong? 

Cedar held out one hand. "Hang on," she said. 

Feeling a bit awkward, Skull took Cedar's hand, while she used the other to grip the Crystal of All Times. She whispered a quiet word, and they both vanished in a blink of warm, golden light. 

~*~

Hemlock resisted the urge to preen his feathers with nervousness. He was the closest thing the Aerials had to a ruler, and a lot of responsibility rested in his talons - even more so now than in times of peace. He was walking a very fine diplomatic line right now. One well-placed word might result in the Aerials being excluded from the rest of this war, but an ill-considered one could bring about disaster. 

He stared into the mirror, evaluating his reflection. He was a serious man of middle years, his grey plumage turning white here and there with age. The process of aging had also made shape-shifting difficult, so he remained almost constantly in the hybrid form of a man with the wings and head of an eagle, the shape that he found most comfortable. Still he was a powerful man, a man of authority, and he still showed it in the way he carried himself. He was still strong and hardened from many years of work, and the joint-stiffening that plagued the elderly had not yet taken a hold on him. In his youth, he might have tried to win himself an advantage in this game of politics and war by shifting to his fully human form in hopes that the young emperor-mage might have more respect for something that at least appeared to be of his own race. Now, Hemlock would have to rely more on hoping that self-assurance and careful words might have the same effect. His only concession was to dress himself in fine human clothes of silver, grey, and white that matched his feathers, though most people of his race preferred minimal clothing. With a sigh, he brushed the mirror with a wingtip and called up the visage of the last person he really wanted to see. 

The face that replaced Hemlock's was of a young man of some humanoid race. It was handsome, statuesque, almost demigodly, kept from perfection by a taint of arrogance and avarice, and framed by a carefully tamed set of dark, curly locks that never seemed to be out of place. It was rumored that he wasted a good deal of his magical power on personal spells to keep himself looking as young and handsome as possible. His body still held its youthful strength, but there was something about the way he reclined on his throne that suggested that he was allowing indolence and easy living to soften him. His eyes . . . they didn't look like eyes at all. They were like two burning coals flickering red and orange in his eye sockets. 

"Well?" he said in his bored way. "What is it you want of me?" 

"I am replying to your message, as you requested," Hemlock replied. *_Be careful. Let him know you're not afraid of him, but don't sound too cocky, either._* 

"I didn't _REQUEST_ a reply, old man. I _ORDERED_ one," the young lord replied condescendingly. 

"I beg to differ," said Hemlock. "As you are the leader of your people, so I lead mine. Ve are on equal footing and must address each other as equals." 

The emperor-mage barely restrained himself from leaping from his throne in fury. Even so, a red glow of anger surrounded him, and his eyes burned like twin fires. 

"Do you dare presume that you could give orders to me?" 

"Of course not," said Hemlock. "As I said, ve are _EQUALS_. I vould not order you to do anything, only rrrequest. I am assuming that you vill trrreat me vith equal courtesy." 

"Enough! I grow weary of your voice. Say what you have to say and be done with it." 

"I have deliberated over the terms of your proposed trrreaty, and I have discussed it vith my advisors at great length," said Hemlock. "Ve have decided to accept your offer. My soldiers can no longer afford to fight this battle. I vill vithdraw my armies and declare neutrrrality in exchange for your vow of peace." 

"Fine," the mage replied, smirking a little in contempt as he listened to Hemlock's heavily accented speech. "You have my word of honor, none of my troops will attack your planet in any way. I will send an emissary with the treaty for you to sign, so we can get this over with quickly." 

Hemlock felt he might faint with relief, but he didn't allow that to show. Fortunately, it was difficult for most non-Aerials to read his avian expressions. 

"Thank you, your highness," was all he said. 

"Save it," said the young lord. "Go away. I have important matters of state to discuss. I don't have time to waste on you and your feather-brained warriors." 

Hemlock curbed the urge to reply to that insulting remark. Instead, he nodded graciously and cancelled the magical mirror-link. 

With the conversation over with, the young lord waved one hand, and one of his servants scuttled out of a shadow and carried the mirror away on its stand. The emperor-mage watched and waited until the servant had vanished once again, until his presence could no longer be detected anywhere in the room. There were indeed important matters to discuss, and he wanted no prying ears eavesdropping. 

"Goldar!" he barked. 

In a flaming flash, the winged and armored warrior appeared in the throne room. He stood at attention, awaiting his master's orders. 

"Would you like to hear something interesting?" asked the mage casually. "The ruler of the Aerials has just agreed to call off his troops in exchange for my word of honor that I will leave his world in peace. What do you think of that?" 

"Are you going to destroy them now, or wait until later?" Goldar replied. 

"Later. Wait until they have all returned from battle. I want them ALL wiped out - men, women, and children. As soon as I give the order, I want you to deliver my . . . peace treaty." 

Goldar bowed, grinning wickedly. "Yes, Lord Zedd." 

~*~

Skull and Cedar rematerialized in what appeared to be somebody's basement. It was cool and dark, but well cleaned. The walls were lined with shelves, each one filled with neatly organized and labeled jars and bottles. A flight of stone stairs led to the upper rooms. 

"Here we are, all home," Cedar announced. 

A voice echoed from somewhere, "Cedar, is that you I felt arriving?" 

"Yes, Father," Cedar chirped. "Just got back. Brought friend to visit." 

"Fine, fine. Come upstairs. I have news." 

"Coming," she replied. She tugged at Skull's arm, dragging him toward the steps. "Come on, human! Want you to meet Mama and Papa." 

Skull allowed himself to be pulled out of the basement and up into a sunny kitchen. Almost lost amid a jungle of dried herbs and copper utensils that dangled from the ceiling and a surprising number of drawers and cabinets on the floor, a female Aerial was busily stirring a pot of something over a small stove. Though not as young and slender as Cedar, she still had the same dusty rose-gold coloring. Upon sighting the younger bird-woman, the began to chatter in the trilling, chirping speech of her people. 

"Use the Common Tongue," said Cedar gently. "I've brought a guest. He doesn't know Tienese. Mother, this is Eugene. Eugene, this is my mother." 

"Uh, hi," said Skull, uncertainly offering a hand to shake. Cedar's mother took it gravely. 

"Velcome to our home," she said. "I apologize from my rrrudeness, but ve have not had many visitorrrs lately - at least, not frrriendly vons." 

"A situation," a male voice interrupted, "that vill soon be changed." 

The announcement preceded the arrival of a very dignified-looking Aerial. Unlike Cedar and her mother, this man looked more like an eagle than an ordinary songbird. His feathers were silver- grey, except for a few in his crest that were turning white with age, and he dressed in clothes of the same colors, as elaborate as Cedar's were plain. 

"What do you mean, Father?" asked Cedar. 

"I have been talking to the esteemed Lord Zedd," her father replied, his voice tinged with disgust at the mention of the warlord's name. "He has agreed to the peace treaty. As long as ve do not take sides in this var, he has promised to leave us in peace." 

Cedar squealed with delight. "Oh, that is wonderful! Did you hear that, Eugene? Our planet is safe!" 

"Yeah, that's great," Skull replied, at the same time thinking, *Lord Zedd. I could have sworn I've heard that name somewhere before.* 

"So, this is Eugene, then?" said Hemlock. "Then I vill do for you vat I vould not do for that arrogant vould-be emperor." With a flick of his wings, he phased from his half-bird form into a fully human shape. He solemnly took Skull's hand and shook it. 

"My daughter has spoken well of you, Eugene Skullovitch," he said. "I am pleased to welcome you to our home. Please, feel free to stay as long as you like. Now that our part in the war is drawing to a close, we are free to show hospitality to our guests." 

"Is good that our daughter has found a gentleman frrriend," said Cedar's mother to Hemlock. "She is getting old enough to think about settling down and rrraising chicks of her own." 

""Mother!" trilled Cedar in exasperation. Skull blushed crimson in embarrassment. 

"Don't rush the child, Poplar," said Hemlock. "She is young yet. Plenty of time for her to think of such things. She is only sixteen summers." 

"I vas sixteen ven I marry you," answered Poplar. 

Cedar gave a sigh of annoyance. "Mother, Eugene is friend only. I only brought him to visit a little while. then I will take him to join friends in his own time." 

"Then you'd best be off, then, and show him the sights of our fair city while the sun still shines," said Hemlock. 

"Thank you. We will be back in time for dinner," Cedar promised. She led Skull out of the house, and he followed, grateful to be escaping the embarrassing conversation. 

"I don't know vat's wrong vith that girl," said Poplar. "I though the boy is rather nice, for human." 

Hemlock laughed as he shifted back to his more comfortable man-bird form. "Patience, my dear. These things take time. Children these days do not alvays know vat they vant." 

Meanwhile, Cedar was showing her friend down the dusty streets of her city. 

"I am sorry about my mother," she apologized. "She is very old-fashioned, thinks only thing girls should do is get married and take care of husband and chicks." She giggled. "Father wants me to follow in his wingstrokes and become great sorceress. Abracadabra mumbo-jumbo!" she exclaimed, waving one hand in a parody of a mystic gesture. Skull laughed. 

"So, what do you really want to do?" he asked. 

"Don't know," Cedar replied. "Might like to be married and have chicks of my own someday, but . . . much else to do first. I want to go places and see and learn things. Perhaps I will be explorer someday, discover new secrets. What about you, Eugene? Have your parents plotted your life-course for you?" 

"They don't really care," said Skull. It wasn't said bitterly, just a little sadly, like an unpleasantness that was accepted long ago and nearly forgotten. "I think they gave up on me being anything a long time ago. I don't even know if they've noticed I didn't go to Terra Venture like was supposed to. Now Bulk, HE knew what we were going to do. We were gonna make it big - be rich and famous." 

"How?" asked Cedar curiously. 

"Aw, lots of ways. Discover comets, become world famous detectives, capture aliens, discover the secret identities of the Power Rangers . . . Man, we spent a LONG time looking for the Power Rangers. Never found 'em, though. Bulk always liked heroes. He wanted to BE a hero." 

"What about you?" asked Cedar. "Didn't you want to be a hero, too?" 

"I dunno, not really," said Skull. "What kind of hero would I make? I'm not good at much of anything." 

"You can fly," said Cedar playfully. "Bet your friend can't do that." 

Skull laughed, trying to imagine how that would look. "You couldn't even lift him off the ground." 

Cedar saw the truth in that and started to giggle. "We will tie ropes around him, find four or five strong young men to carry him." 

That was too much for both of them, and they burst into fits of laughter. 

"And vat are you two laughing at?" inquired a voice. 

Looking up, the two found themselves facing a stern-looking male Aerial. He was of the hawk- type, much like Cedar's father, but his feathers were more golden colored, and he wore a green uniform with gold trim. A red sash with embroidered stars on it indicated that he was a man of some importance. 

"Oh, good afternoon, Captain Redwood," said Cedar politely. "I did not know you would be back so soon." 

"Ve vere all in a hurry to be back home," answered the captain. "Ve came as soon as ve got vord of the trrreaty. It is a rrrelief to know that our vorld is safe. However," he added thoughtfully, "in a vay, I am sorrry that this is the only vay ve could save it. I do not like this so-called Lord Zedd. He is not suited to be lord of a heap of garrrbage! If the safety of Tien vere not at stake, I vould be glad to continue fighting on Zorrrdon's side." He sighed. "Vell, I vill not qvestion your father's judgement. It vas a harrrd decision. So, tell me who your frrriend is." 

"This is Eugene," said Cedar. "Eugene, this is Captain Redwood, one of our warriors." 

"Pleased to meet you," said Captain Redwood courteously. "I am sorrry I cannot stay, but I must be in attendance ven the emmissary arrrives vith the trrreaty." With a polite goodbye, he hurried away. 

"What's all this about a war?" asked Skull. 

Cedar sighed. "For as long as anyone can remember, a young mage who calls himself Lord Zedd has been trying to take the universe as his own. Those worlds he takes, he makes into slaves. He is an evil tyrant and master of monsters. If he wins this war, he will destroy or enslave everyone! But this is not going to happen. A great wizard called Zordon has gathered many brave followers to battle Lord Zedd's minions. My father sent a small army to assist him, but Lord Zedd has been striking against us while our protectors were away. Our militia has been doing their best to protect us, and Father uses the Crystal of All Times, but we could not go on like that forever. It is better this way, that we should live in peace." 

Skull nodded, his mind spinning. Wizards, armies, evil warlords, magic spells . . . it was all a little out of his comprehension. 

"Come," said Cedar. "We do not need to talk about the war. The war is over for us, and there are so many good things here for us to see." 

"I guess you're right," said Skull, but he was still thinking, *Lord Zedd. I know I've heard of Lord Zedd. If Lord Zedd is still around in my time, does that mean . . . he's going to win?* 

~*~

A few hours later, Hemlock was pacing the floor in nervousness. Arranged in formal rows nearby, a number of high-ranking officers watched their leader in edgy silence. The more avian preened their wing-feathers restlessly, while the more humanoid shuffled their feet and toyed with the embroidery on their official uniforms. A clock on a shelf ticked. A fly buzzed. Time slipped by, and the tension mounted. Where was the emissary? Had something gone wrong? Had Lord Zedd changed his mind? Suddenly, the tension was broken as Poplar fluttered into the room, looking frightened. 

"The emissary is here," she said breathlessly. "I don't like the looks of him, Hemlock. Are you cerrrtain ve must go through vith this?" 

"If vill be all right. This is a peaceful meeting," said Hemlock, with more confidence than he felt. 

"If this is peaceful meeting, vy does messenger carry sword?" she replied. "Something is not right. I feel it in my vings, something is going to happen, something bad." 

"Hush," said Hemlock sternly. "I vill handle this. Now, escort the emissary inside and let us be done vith this." 

Poplar bobbed her head in a nervous nod and scuttled out of the room. A few of the commanders shifted uneasily. A moment later, there was a sound of a door opening, and then a scuffle as Goldar marched inside, shoving Poplar roughly out of the aside. She chirped agitatedly and fled. The monster stepped into the council room, seeming to fill it with his presence, leaving nothing for the eye to see but golden armor and black feathers and red eyes and white teeth. The carried a brutal-looking sword slung casually over one of his plated shoulders. In the other hand was an incongrously harmless- looking bundle of parchment tied with red ribbon. 

"Are you Lord Zedd's emissary?" asked Hemlock. 

Goldar nodded and thrust the roll of paper toward the wizard. "Sign the treaty, old bird, and get this over with." 

"Not until I read it," said Hemlock coolly. 

"Are you saying Lord Zedd can't be trusted?" Goldar asked dangerously. 

Hemlock gave him a hard look. "It is only prudent. The terms of our agreement vere not clearly stated. I vould hate for any misunderstandings to occur." 

"Read it, then, and make it quick." 

"I am amazed that His Majesty chose you as an emissary. You have no manners," said Hemlock. He took the scroll, unrolled it, and began to read aloud. " 'I, the undersigned, do hereby agree to forfeit any and all claims to the Crystal of All Times, and do furthermore rrrenounce any and all claims to the leadership of the vorld of Tien, and cede said rrrights to His Majesty, Lord Zeddd, Emperor of Evil, and svear eterrrnal fealty to said monarch.' Vat is all this?" he demanded angrily. 

"This is the treaty you will sign," said Goldar. "Are you going to do it voluntarily, or do you need soe encouragement?" He raised his sword menacingly. 

"But - but your lord gave his vord of honor that this vould be a trrreaty of peace!" spluttered Hemlock in outrage. 

"Ha! You foolish old buzzard! Lord Zedd has no honor! The only time this planet will see an end to fighting is when it belongs to him. Now, sign the paper!" 

"Therrre vill be no peace vile ve are rrruled by a tyrant," said Hemlock. "Do vat you vill. I vill never sign this paper." 

In a move too fast to follow, Goldar swung his sword at the wizard, burying its blade in his side. There was a wet crunching sound, and blood spilled on the stone floor. Hemlock staggered backwards, gasping in pain. 

"Take that, you mangy crow!" Goldar sneered. 

In the next instant, several of the commanders leaped at the monster, trying to avenge their leader - but what could they do? They had come for a peace talk, and they were unarmored and unarmed, while their adversary was plated from head to foot and carrying a lethal weapon. 

Hemlock, his head reeling with pain, reached for the Crystal at his throat, preparing to call forth magic that would blow his assassin to oblivion. He might die of this wound, but he would at least take the monster with him. His wingtip touched the hollow of his throat where the gem should have rested, but it was gone! Where was it? Belatedly, he remembered: he had loaned it to Cedar so she could travel to Eugene's time, and he had forgotten to take it back. Cedar had the Crystal, and Zedd wanted it. He would stop at nothing to get it. She and Eugene would be in danger. Out of the corner of his rapidly darkening vision, Hemlock saw his soldiers fleeing for their lives. Then, his mind slipped into blackness. 

~*~

Meanwhile, unaware of the tragedy that had occurred in her own home, Cedar had been leading her friend through her city, showing him the sights. It was a thriving metropolis, the capital city, but it still managed to give the impression of small-town comfort, perhaps because Skull was used to gleaming steel and glass full of sharp angles. Everything in this city was made of chalky grey-white stone whose corners had long ago been rounded into gentle curves. The upstairs rooms of every home and office had wide windows to provide easy entrances and exits for flying visitors. Small, prickly trees with deep green needles grew along the streets, providing welcome shade. Instead of being paved, all the roads were covered in soft golden sand - just as well, because most of the city's inhabitants preferred to go barefoot. 

More interesting than the architecture were the people. Skull was amazed at the assortment - even the motley crowd found in a city on his own planet couldn't match the Aerials for variety. Some appeared to be as human as he was (though some of the people of Earth had sometimes wondered if he was completely human, anyway) while others were thoroughly birdlike, and the rest came in every possible mix of the two extremes. Cedar explained that, though all Aerials could shift from one shape to another at will, most of them found that one shape felt most comfortable for them, and they kept it most of the time. Also, the younger the Aerial was, the easier the transformation would be. The young fledglings that played in the streets changed back and forth in a kaleidoscopic fashion. 

The Aerials varied in other ways, too. The people came in every color and bird-shape imaginable. There were hawks, sparrows, ducks, swans, woodpeckers, herons, and other exotic varieties. There were blacks, browns, greys, golds, whites, peacock blues, parrot greens, cardinal reds, and even a few of the pale pink-and-golds of Cedar's type. Some wore clothing as simple as Cedar's, some garbed themselves with colors and designs so elaborate that they looked like gypsies or jesters, and the most avian wore nothing but their feathers. They all seemed to be bilingual, speaking both a kind of broken English that they called the Common Tongue and a high-pitched, rapid-fire, birdlike chatter. 

After he had seen the outer parts of town, Skull was led by his eager guide to the heart of the city, the marketplace. The amount of noise and the number of people quadrupled. Everywhere, there were tents in patterns as varied as the people themselves, and everything imaginable could be bought, sold, or traded beneath those patterns of stripes and checks. Light flashed from weapons, jewelry, glass and metalware, dazzling the eye. Sounds bombarded the ear: talking people, shouting merchants, the clinking of chains and coins, the flapping of wings and flags in the wind, and the exotic melodies of performing singers and musicians. The air was full of the scents of perfumes and cooking food. 

"Wow!" Skull enthused. "This is better than a mall!" 

Cedar looked puzzled. "What's a mall?" 

"Um, well . . . it's kind of like this, only not so big . . . and indoors." 

They made their way through the marketplace at a leisurely pace. They saw no reason to be in a hurry, and everything deserved to be admired. Besides, Cedar seemed to be well-known, and she paused often to chat with friends. Since these exchanges were often carried out in Tienese, they were not of any particular interest to Skull, and he found his mind and gaze wandering to other things. It was during one of these pauses that his attention was captured by a multicolored glint of light, and he made his way curiously to what proved to be the stall of a jewelry vendor. 

The glint of light had come from a necklace, set prominently on display against a foil of purple velvet, like a royal crown. The pendant was a heavy piece of rough-hewn yet highly polished piece of silver crafted into the shape of a bird with outstretched wings, fierce talons, and a murderous beak. Its wings, tail, and crest had been carefully enameled in bright rainbow colors that flashed in the sunlight. It hung from a rope of rough black leather, around which spiraled a thin silver wire, as if tiny bolts of lightning or silver flames were shooting away from the bird. This was no dainty lady's necklace; this was a rugged and almost brutal piece of jewelry, like something a knight in armor would wear as a charm against evil. Skull wasn't sure what he would do with it if he had it, but he wanted it as soon as he laid eyes on it. 

"You like that?" inquired the vendor. "Real silver. Hand painted. Best quality. Make you good offer." 

Skull was crestfallen. "Sorry. I don't have any money." 

"Eugene? Eugene, where are you?" That was Cedar's voice, drifting worriedly through the crowd noises. 

"I'm over here!" Skull called back. "Come see what I found!" 

Cedar appeared at his side and appraised his find. "Nice. You want that? I'll buy it for you." 

"Aw, I can't ask you to do that," said Skull. As much as he would have liked to accept the gift, he had a feeling that the necklace was probably expensive, more than he would want to impose upon his friend. 

Cedar, however, was not dissuaded. "Should take it. Can see you want it." She turned to the vendor. "How much cost?" 

"For you, Miss Cedar, I ask ten azures only." 

"Seven and half," Cedar replied, and the battle was on. Skull listened in amazement as the vendor and Cedar engaged in a contest of bargaining, chattering in their high-speed bird speech. Cedar finally managed to talk the salesman down to eight and three-quarter azures. Out of one pocket of her dress, she removed a number of round, colored stones the size of peas and handed them over to the vendor. He gave her the necklace, which she, in turn, gave to Skull. 

"Here," she said. "Should keep this. Is good magic." 

"Magic?" Skull replied uncertainly. The necklace was impressive, but he hadn't thought it was magic. 

Cedar shrugged. "Is what my father says, and he should know. Keep part of something, and it becomes part of you. Keep part of my planet, and you will never really leave it. You keep the necklace, you will come back someday." 

Skull wondered if he ought to tell her he was still carrying one of her feathers, and decided not to mention it. Instead, he put the necklace over his head, and it got snagged on his ears. Cedar giggled at him and helped him to remove it and put it on straight. Once he got it in place, however, the metal bird hung over his heart as if it belonged there. It felt RIGHT, like a piece of a puzzle being snapped into place. 

"Thanks," he said. "Thanks a lot." 

"Do you know what that bird is?" asked Cedar. Skull shook his head, and Cedar answered, "His name is Fenikus, the Firebird. He is one of our legends. They say the first Aerials were born when Firebird took a human wife. Say also that he watches over Tien, and he will rescue his children in times of danger. We still have a festival for him every year." 

"How come he didn't keep this Zedd guy from attacking your planet?" Skull asked. 

Cedar shrugged. "Who can guess why Firebird does what he does? Some people do not believe in Firebird because of this. Others say is dead. Some say he was lured to the dark side by a beautiful sorceress. Some say he was put under evil enchantment. No one knows sure." 

"Well, I still like this necklace," said Skull, running his fingers over the metal bird's glistening, bristling feathers. "Wish I could buy you something . . . What's that?" 

From somewhere behind them came a sound of shrieks and screams. Something was causing total pandemonium that could be heard even over the marketplace hubbub. While Skull was still standing there wondering what to do, Cedar grabbed his arm and began dragging him down the street, _TOWARD_ the noise. Then, as whatever was causing the ruckus drew nearer, she ducked down an alleyway and hid behind a water barrel with Skull following closely. From this shelter, they were able to witness a spectacle that was not that unfamiliar to the Earthly teen: a winged primate plated in golden armor accompanied by a dozen or so pale grey clay people. Aerials ran screaming from the monsters in panic. 

"That's Goldar and the Putty Patrol," whispered Skull. 

Cedar looked surprised. "How you know that?" 

"They used to attack Angel Grove all the time . . . I mean, they're going to," answered Skull. He decided to omit mentioning the fact that Goldar had also spent a few weeks living in his closet, which would have led to questions he would have liked to have answers to himself. "But the Power Rangers are going to chase them away. Uh . . . you don't suppose the Power Rangers are gonna show up here, do you?" 

"Goldar is one of Lord Zedd's servants," said Cedar. "Zedd was supposed to send an emissary to deliver the peace treaty." 

"He doesn't look very peaceful to me," Skull replied. 

"I have bad feeling about this," Cedar said worriedly. "Come! We've got to get back to Papa and Mama!" 

And they did, fast. Skull may not have been good at much, but after years of practice, he was very good at running away from monsters. His long legs carried him through the streets and back alleys so quickly that Cedar had to sprout wings to keep up. Soon they arrived at Cedar's house and found the front door open and the premises very quiet. Fearfully, they went inside. 

"Hello?" Skull called uncertainly. He was answered by a low moan of pain. 

"Father!" Cedar shrieked, and she raced to the parlor, followed closely by Skull. They found Hemlock slumped against the wall, next to a slowly enlarging red puddle. Cedar wailed in horror and rushed to kneel beside him. 

"Cedar . . ." he whispered. "The treaty . . . it was a lie. The Crystal . . ." The effort of speaking was too much for him, and he blacked out again. Cedar began to sob. 

"This stupid rock," she said angrily, gripping the Crystal of All Times. "If it veren't for this thing, none of this vould be happening. This thing is cursed." She jerked the stone, and the fragile chain snapped. She threw it to Skull. "Destroy this, so it vill cause no more damage." 

Skull stood a moment, staring at the stone, and then at the scene in front of him. Listening to Cedar's anguished chirping sobs - such a small and helpless sound - a wave of anger swept over him that was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. It wasn't fair! Cedar and Hemlock were good and unselfish people. They didn't deserve to suffer like this, especially not at the hands of a power-hungry warlord and his monsters. All the Aerials wanted was to be left in peace. Why did this Lord Zedd person have to persist in tormenting them? If Zedd had been in the room at that moment, Skull would have found the strength and courage to teach him a lesson. With a wordless cry of rage and despair, Skull pitched the Crystal at the wall, and it split in two with a loud SNAP! 

Chaos broke loose. Winds, fire, lighting, earthquake . . . hundreds of things seemed to be happening at once. Then, everything seemed to coalesce into a single ball of glowing flame that slowly grew brighter and began to take on a definite shape. It hung in midair, shifting slowly like a developing photograph, and then it suddenly snapped into focus. 

It was a bird, a bird of pure fire, burning whiter than the moon and stars, brightly as midday sunlight on new-fallen snow. Its wings, tail, and crest, however, were in vivid flaming colors - not just red and yellow, but an entire spectrum of shimmering rainbow light. Its eyes were flaming blue-green, at once hypnotic and difficult to look directly into, so that you kept wanting to glance at them out of the corner of your eye. It was so bright, it seemed to steal the colors of the room, the furniture and paintingns, Skull's bright punk clothing, and Cedar's shining hair and render the world into a grey-and- white pencil sketch. It did not move at all, but simply hovered, suspended in midair with its radiant wings outstretched. Skull's jaw dropped in amazement, and even Cedar was shocked out of her grief. 

"Gracious glory," she whispered. 

"**Yes, I am, aren't I?**" the bird replied in a musical male voice. He turned his head this way and that to show off his profiles. 

"Hey!" Skull exclaimed in sudden realization. "You're the bird on my necklace!" 

"**Indeed. I am Fenikus, the Firebird,**" the bird answered. "**Who was it that shattered the stone?**" 

"Um, um, uh . . ." Skull stammered. He had heard stories about spirits who would grant great rewards to the people who freed them from imprisonment . . . but he had also heard of those who would strike a man dead for disturbing their rest. 

"It vas him," said Cedar, pointing to Skull. 

"**Ah. I see. I might have guessed,**" Firebird replied. "**You are not an Aerial. What is your name, human?**" 

"Skull . . . uh, I mean, Eugene Skullovitch." 

"**Well, Eugene Skullovitch, I am indebted to you,**" said the Firebird. He seemed to consider a moment before saying offhandedly, "**I could grant you three wishes, if you like. I believe that is the usual payment for such things.**" 

"Can you heal him?" asked Skull, pointing at Hemlock. 

The Firebird looked a bit surprised. "**If that's really what you want to spend a wish on.**" He nodded in Hemlock's direction, and a pure white flame seemed to spring to life above his heart. It grew and spread in colored rings: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and then white again. As the rings of fire spread over him, his wound closed up, and he seemed to breathe more easily. Even the spilled blood on the floor was washed away by the sweeping flames. After a moment, the fires died away. The Firebird looked pleased. 

"**Sleeping peacefully,**" he announced. "He'll wake up good as new in an hour or so. Now," he said, turning back to Skull, "**isn't there something you want for yourself? Fame? Riches? Power? The love of a beautiful lady, perhaps? It would be easy enough to do. Ask what you like, and you shall have it.**" 

The phrase, "rich and famous", Bulk's mantra, wandered through Skull's mind, but he dismissed it instantly. That wasn't what he really wanted at the moment. As long as Lord Zedd had his sights set on Tien, scenes like what had just occurred would keep on playing themselves out. He had been thinking just a moment ago that he would have given anything to put a stop to it, and now he had a chance to do just that. 

"I wish . . . I wish somebody would protect this planet, so nobody else will get hurt," Skull blurted. 

Firebird eyed him with curiosity. "**Well,**" he said, and then, "**Well, well, well. This is an interesting wish with all kinds of interesting possibilities. Do you care _HOW_ I do it, or do you just want it done?**" 

"Yeah . . . whatever," said Skull with a shrug. 

"**Fine,**" said Firebird. "**Hold still.**" 

The next thing Skull knew, his vision was full of colors, as the rings of flame engulfed him, warm but not painful and soft as a feather's touch. The lights moved around uncertainly before finally settling on the likeness of the Firebird he wore. Skull looked at the Firebird in surprise; the being of flame wore and expression that could only be interpreted as smug. 

"**Not too bad. Not too bad at all,**" said Firebird. "**It's been a while since I've tried that, but I'm sure it worked. Fairly sure.**" 

"What'd you do?" asked Skull apprehensively. 

"**I gave you a Power,**" Firebird said. "**Just a little one, of course - mortals can only handle but so much - but enough to suffice. You, Eugene Skullovitch, have been given the powers of the Dark Falcon. Now you can get rid of the monsters and keep your friends safe. That ought to make you happy.**" 

"I don't know how to fight monsters!" Skull protested. "I don't want to be a hero!" 

"**You should be careful what you wish for, then,**" Firebird replied. "**Besides, I think you'll find that you know more than you think you do,**" he added, winking. 

"But . . . but I can't!" stammered Skull. "Not all by myself!" 

"**I see,**" the Firebird answered thoughtfully. "**So you would wish for a helper, then?**" 

"Uh . . ." said Skull, unsure of how to answer and wondering if there was any way at all that he could get out of the situation. The Firebird ignored him, turning his radiant gaze from the hapless teenager to the still-stunned Cedar. 

"**Young lady, what is your name?**" he asked. 

"Cedar Wind," she answered. 

"**How would you like to assist your friend, miss Cedar Wind?**" 

Cedar's amber eyes were cold and determined. "I vill do vatever I can to save my planet." 

"**Very well, then. Would you retrieve the necklace for me?**" 

Cedar shrugged, got up, and collected the broken pieces of the amulet. She held them up for the Firebird's inspection. As he stared at them, a flash of light rippled over the shards of stone. Suddenly, there were two necklaces instead of one, perfectly identical. 

"**You may give one to your father and keep the other,**" Firebird said. "**With your new Crystal's power, you will be able to assist the Dark Falcon in battle.**" 

"How? How do I use it?" asked Cedar. 

"**Both charms work the same way. Just touch them and speak my name, Firebird. That will give you access to the Power,**" Firebird explained. He turned his attention back to Skull. "**Well, that is the end of your wishes. I personally think you could have done better, but as long as you're happy, I suppose it's all right.**" 

Skull wanted to say that he was not happy and it was _definitely_ not all right, but he wasn't quite sure how to communicate that message to the glowing bird. 

"**Well, I must be off,**" said the Firebird. "**I have been out of circulation for a long time, and the Higher Realms have been deprived of my splendor for too long. Still, you are an interesting human, Eugene Skullovitch, and I believe I will probably check in on you again when I get bored. Have fun saving the world.**" 

The Firebird seemed to suddenly cave in on himself, rapidly shrinking like the image of a television being turned off, and he vanished in a blink of colored light. Skull and Cedar were quiet a moment, staring at the place where he had been. 

"Firebird," said Cedar softly. "He's real. Ve really saw the Firebird." 

"Do you really think he meant what he said?" asked Skull, touching the pendant of his necklace carefully, as if it might bite. "I mean, about us saving the world." 

"Vell, ve have to do something," said Cedar. She tucked one of the amber necklaces under the wing of her sleeping father, and then put the other around her neck. 

"But I don't want to be a hero!" Skull insisted. "I can't! I don't know how!" 

"You can start by doing vat you can," said Cedar sternly. In a gentler tone, she added, "Besides, I vill be helping you. You don't have to be afraid." 

Skull sighed. No matter what Cedar said, he was afraid, very afraid. And yet . . . and yet he had been afraid of heights before Cedar had taught him to fly. Perhaps he could learn this, too. Hesitantly, he touched the silver pendant and whispered, "Firebird." 

He felt the effect instantly, as the Firebird's colored flames crept out of the pendant and up his hand. They felt like wind and fire, wild forces with the power to take him apart and rebuild him their way, and yet he knew as soon as he felt it that this same Power would obey him as much as he had to obey it. Skull cried out in surprise and pulled his hand away as if he'd been stung. 

"Vat's wrong?" asked Cedar. 

Skull shook his head. "I'm not the right person to do this. It ought to be someone better than me. I'm no hero. I've never done anything without messing it up." 

"Don't be so hard on yourself," said Cedar. "Listen to me. I vill tell you something. My father is leader of my people, and I have seen many great men come to speak vith him. I have met many heroes, enough to know vat they are. Heroes are only ordinary men vith good hearts. You are as vorthy to be hero as anyvone else." 

"You think so?" asked Skull. 

"Know so," Cedar replied. "Firebird vould have given you anything you vanted, but you did not ask for anything for yourself. You vished to save my people and my vorld. To help people is vat all heroes vish for." 

"Well, if you say so." Skull gripped the Firebird emblem with both hands. "Firebird!" 

The colored flames washed over him in a rush, as if determined to do their work before he could change his mind again. For a moment, he was blinded by lights, and then . . . 

Skull examined his new form. The first thing that caught his attention was that his clothes had changes. He was now wearing a jet black suit, like something a Power Ranger might wear, and it was patterned all over in red elliptical designs, like feathers. He was also wearing boots and gloves of royal purple, both decorated with a row of the red feather designs. A gold belt adorned with a feather-shaped buckle held a holster with a red laser pistol. He seemed to also be equipped with a purple backpack, but he couldn't turn his head around far enough to get a good look at it. He could, however, glance at his reflection in a mirror in the hall, noting more changes. The upper half of his face was covered by a purple mask. That wouldn't have been enough to hide his identity on its own, but it seemed that his face had changed in subtle ways as well. It looked somehow harder and sterner, more determined. His long, dark hair had been changed into something that more closely resembled and Aerial's crest feathers, black shot through with red and purple. He doubted anyone would recognize him. Other than the outer changes, however, he didn't feel much different, except maybe a little more alert, more energized. He also seemed to be suffering from a faint mental itch, the kind of feeling he sometimes had when he woke up in the morning knowing that something unpleasant was going to happen but he hadn't quite remembered yet that there would be a test that day that he hadn't studied for. 

"The monster's still out there," he said, sounding a bit puzzled. "I can feel it, sort of." 

"Maybe you should go stop it now," Cedar prompted. 

Skull shook his head. "You mean, WE should stop it. You're supposed to help, remember?" 

"Rrright," Cedar trilled. "Firebird!" 

The fires played around her, bending her to their will for an instant. In a burst of intense light, she shifted to a fully avian form - not the shape of a songbird, the form she usually wore, but a flaming eagle like the Firebird, though she was still pink and gold where he had been painted in spectrum colors. Without a word, she swooped out the window. Skull followed by a more conventional route, through the front door. Cedar perched on his shoulders. 

"Ready to fly?" she asked. 

Skull gave a half-shrug. "Up, up, and away." 

They went up, flying swiftly and silently, following that strange homing instinct that told them that there was danger nearby. Soon, they struck a trail of destruction left by the monsters. They finally found them at a far corner of the city, systematically destroying everything in sight. Cedar and Skull dropped right into the middle of the ruckus and waited for someone to notice them. 

"You get the wing-thing," Cedar whispered. "I'll take the clay-men." 

"Huh?" said Skull. Him, fighting Goldar? He wasn't at all sure he liked that plan. 

Instead of answering, Cedar pumped her wings and rose into the air with an eagle's battle cry. As the monsters paused in their demolishing, she dove at the nearest group of Putties, leaving Skull alone and face to face with Goldar. 

"Well?" Goldar inquired. "Who do you think you are?" 

Skull wasn't exactly sure at the moment, but he was surprised to hear his own voice answer, "I am the Dark Falcon!" 

"Dark Falcon, huh?" said Goldar derisively, eyeing Skull's brightly colored garb. "You have got to be the stupidest looking hero I've ever seen!" 

"Uh, well . . ." stammered Skull. He had never been good at coming up with clever retorts under pressure - or at any other time, for that matter. It had always been so much easier to just emphasize what Bulk said . . . 

"What? No snappy comeback?" Goldar asked. 

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking! Gimme a minute, will ya?" 

Goldar gave a contemptuous snort. "You are pathetic!" 

"Well, I'm new at this, okay?" Skull replied. 

"Oh, are you? Well, you aren't going to live to be old at it!" 

The monster charged at Skull, who stood rooted to the spot in terror. As it turned out, that was probably the best thing he could have done. Just as it seemed like Skull was about to meet the same fate as Hemlock (and without a Firebird around to save him), he was amazed to see his hands come up of their own accord and cleverly parry the sword thrust aside to deliver a sharp chop to the monster's wrist that nearly made him drop his weapon. With the split second that Goldar spent recovering from that unexpected maneuver, Skull took the opportunity to kick him as hard has he could in the gut, making him grunt and stagger backwards a couple of paces. It seemed that Skull's hands and feet knew more about being a hero than his brain did! While part of his mind was still reeling in shock and confusion, the part that now seemed to be in charge noticed that he had an advantage, and he used it, delivering a few more punches and finishing with the flashy roundhouse kick that he had always wanted to be able to do. Goldar stumbled against a wall and fell, and Skull grinned in spite of himself. 

"Yeah! Take that! Guess I'm not so pathetic after all, huh?" 

Goldar wrestled his wings back into place and scrambled to his feet. "You fight better than you talk, I'll say that much, but let's see you handle this!" 

The monster covered his eyes briefly with one hand, and when he removed it, fiery laser beams shot from them. Skull yelped and dove out of the way, but Goldar continued his barrage of fire-bolts. 

*_Gotta find a place to hide,_* Skull thought desperately. Unfortunately, there weren't too many hiding places in the middle of the street, and Goldar wasn't letting him get near the safety of the stone buildings. Unless he could somehow stop the monster from shooting at him, he was going to have to keep dodging until his strength ran out, and that would be the end of him. Already, his energy was beginning to flag. He had been doing a lot of running around that day already, and he wasn't used to this kind of athletic activity. He was beginning to move more slowly and clumsily as the initial energy-boost of transforming wore off. There was a sizzle-thump as one of the fire-bolts struck his back - but, surprisingly, it he didn't feel any pain. Skull's backpack had taken the hit for him . . . which made him wonder what exactly was the little sack carried. He reached back and discovered . . . handles? Without thinking, he grabbed and pulled. 

Whoosh! Two large, batlike wings popped out of the pack with a sound like a very large umbrella being opened. They were bright purple and marked with more red feather patterns, and they were made of some kind of stiff but flexible plastic, with handles so that he could control their movements. Skull folded them around himself like a small tent. Goldar continued firing on him, but his fire-blasts had no effect on Skull's apparently flimsy shelter. Still, it would only be a few seconds before the monster gave up his long distance attack and decided to try a more direct approach. In those few seconds, Skull was going to have to think of something to turn the odds back in his favor, but what? 

*_Come on, stupid! You've got a laser, too! Why don't you use it?_* 

He reached for his pistol and studied it. Not surprisingly, it was in the shape of a bird, with its tail forming the handle and its wings folded around the barrel. There was also a little red button in the middle of its back. 

*_Wonder what that does?_* he thought. *_Well, guess I'll find out. Here goes nothing!_* 

Meanwhile, Goldar was marching forward with his sword raised, preparing to cut through Skull's defenses. He was caught completely off guard as Skull abruptly unfolded his wings and revealed his new weapon aimed at the monster's heart. 

"Phoenix Phaser!" he shouted. 

Pulses of rainbow light flashed through the air, throwing Goldar off his feet and into a heap of rubble, where he lay dazed. 

Skull didn't get long to celebrate, however, before his attention was caught by the sound of an avian scream. While Skull had been busy dealing with Goldar, Cedar had been doing her part by trying to tackle the Putty Patrol. She had actually managed to destroy a few (not a difficult thing to do when all it took was a blow to the "Z" medallion), but she was still badly outnumbered. The remaining Putties had mobbed her, and, despite her slashing talons and beak, had dragged her to the ground. Without the advantage of flight on her side, she was taking a brutal beating. 

"Hang on! I'm coming!" Skull shouted. 

He dove into the fray, holding up one wing as a shield while he blasted the Putties with his laser. The clay creatures dispersed in panic and confusion as the burning lights struck them. Skull rushed to Cedar's side. 

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. 

"Look out!" she screamed. 

"Huh? Ow!" While Skull had been distracted, Goldar had taken the opportunity to collect himself and make a sneak attack, literally stabbing Skull in the back - or trying to. Evidently, whatever the Dark Falcon's suit was made of, it was tougher than it looked. While Skull felt a stinging pain in his shoulder, he wasn't seriously hurt. Still, the force of the blow and the shock of the injury were enough to send him sprawling on the ground. As Skull lay stunned in the dust, Goldar moved in with his sword raised, ready to split the young man's head like a cantaloupe. 

"Aieeeeeeek!" screeched an avian voice. 

Goldar was suddenly blinded by flaming feathers as Cedar launched herself in his face, pecking and clawing at his unprotected eyes. The monster roared and began waving erratically at his attacker. 

"All right! Way to go!" Skull cheered. 

He held up his laser and decided that now would be a good time to see what that tempting red button did. He gave it a determined push with his thumb, and . . . click! Whoosh! The pistol abruptly unfolded itself. The wings flipped out to become the hilt of the sword, and the long blade shot out from beneath the bird's head. It glinted diamond bright in the late afternoon sunshine, throwing off multicolored sparkles. 

"Whoa, cool!" Skull enthused. "I always wanted one of these! Better look out, 'cause here I come!" 

Goldar took a look at the shining weapon and decided that he didn't feel like having it tested on him. Enough was enough! Lord Zedd hadn't said anything about there being heroes on this planet. This was supposed to be an EASY mission! 

"Rrrr! His Majesty is not going to be pleased with this!" he growled threateningly. 

"Oh, yeah?" said Skull. "Well, who's going to get in trouble for it, me or you?" 

Goldar's only reply to that was a snarl. He made a gesture with his sword, and he vanished in a cloud of flame. 

Skull stared in amazement. "I did it! I actually fought a monster! That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." Despite the fact that his shoulder was still stinging, he felt great. He had actually done something right for once, and he was enjoying his rare taste of victory. 

"What do we do now?" asked Cedar. 

Skull looked around. Now that the battle was over, frightened citizens were peeking out of windows and through cracks in doors, curiously eyeing the two young heroes. 

"I think now would be a good time for an exit," he said. 

"You got it," Cedar agreed. She perched on his shoulders and lifted him up so that he could soar away on his purple wings. 

"Up, up, and away!" he cheered. 

As the duo left, the townspeople gathered in the street to watch them sail away, wondering, "Who was that masked man, anyway?" 

~*~

Goldar hesitated in the hallway, formulating his approach to the situation at hand. Just beyond the place where he stood was a room containing a scene of evident tranquility, and he was not observant enough to know any different. It was lat afternoon, and the lord of the palace was enjoying the warmth of the sunlight as it streamed through a large window placed in the room for that very purpose. He was reclining languorously amid a nest of purple silk cushions, surrounded by his personal attendants - all of them beautiful young women. One strummed on a harp and sang softly, while two more waved fans to prevent their master from becoming to overheated by the sun's warmth. Another was at his side, hand-feeding him sweets from a golden tray. The others rested nearby in elegant poses, like perfect statues. The lord himself lay with his eyes closed, to all appearances nearly asleep. An observer skilled at reading expressions would have read a different story. The ladies's faces were bereft of any emotion, exhibiting neither adoration for their handsome master nor fear of his power and dangerous temper. They were broken creatures with no wills and no thoughts save to do as the emperor bid them. As for the mage himself, even in his near-dozing state, his face showed no sign of contentment. Rather, he seemed to be thinking, *_This is just the beginning of what I mean to have._* Goldar, unfortunately, was not skilled at reading human emotions, and he perceived only that his master seemed to be in a good mood. Perhaps Lord Zedd would not be too harsh with him. He stepped into the room and cleared his throat. 

"Um . . . Your Majesty?" he said hesitantly. 

The peace of the room was shattered. The harpist lost her place in the song and fell silent. The other servants froze. One of the emperor's fiery red eyes opened a slit. 

"What is it?" he demanded. "Can't you see I'm busy?" 

"It's about the attack on Tien . . ." 

The eye opened the rest of the way. It did not look happy. "So? Did they surrender, or did you destroy them?" 

"Well, you see, I tried, but . . ." 

"Tried?" The other eye was open now; the situation was getting dangerous. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't that imply that you failed your assignment?" 

"I'm sorry, Lord Zedd, but-" 

Like a rattlesnake striking, Zedd sprang from his resting place and launched himself at the hapless lackey, brandishing his lighting bolt staff. Goldar was knocked to the floor and lay staring helplessly into the cruel red eyes of his ruler. Zedd pressed the sharp tip of his staff against the monster's throat. All it would take would be a little more pressure to put an end to him. 

"You have five seconds," said Lord Zedd, "to explain to me exactly how it is you cold foul up something so ridiculously simple." 

"There was a hero," said Goldar. "He called himself the Dark Falcon." 

"Dark Falcon, hm?" Zedd said thoughtfully. "Well, this complicates things. I need the Crystal of All Times! I am the only one worthy to use its powers, not some overgrown pigeon. I will find a way to be rid of this Dark Falcon." He stepped away from Goldar, and the monster breathed a sigh of relief. "Send someone to keep an eye on him. I will have Tien and the Crystal. It is only a matter of time." 

~*~

Cedar dropped Skull unobtrusively on the flat roof of her house and perched lightly on its stone railing. 

"That was kind of fun," said Skull, "and kind of not fun. I don't know if I want to do it again or not." He winced and rubbed his sore shoulder. 

"Me neither," answered Cedar. "So, what do we do now?" 

"I don't know," said Skull. "That crazy Firebird only told us how to change. He didn't say anything about how to change back." 

Purple and red lights flashed unexpectedly around him. In and instant, he had blinked back to his everyday unassuming self. 

"Oh," he said. "I guess that works." 

"Just say, 'Change back'?" Cedar inquired. Golden lights flashed around her, and she shifted to her more ordinary songbird form. From there, she moved to her more comfortable half- human shape. 

"I guess that's the magic word," said Skull. 

"Come," said Cedar. "I vant to see if Father is all rrright." 

They followed a flight of stairs from the roof to the lower levels of the house and found Hemlock just as they had left him, sleeping peacefully on the floor. Cedar went and shook his shoulders gently. 

"Father! Father, vake up!" 

"Cedar?" Hemlock groggily opened his eyes. "Vat happened? I thought I vas . . . that the emissary . . ." 

"You missed it all, Father," said Cedar, winking subtly at Skull. "The Firebird appeared and healed you. He had his own varrior, the Dark Falcon, come and drrrive the monsters avay." 

"Yeah," Skull agreed. "Ask me. I was there." 

"Vell," said Hemlock, getting stiffly to his feet. "I'm sorry I missed the excitement. I vould have liked to see the Firebird." 

"I think there vill be more excitement soon," said Cedar gravely. "Lord Zedd vill not be happy his plan failed." 

Her ruminations were interrupted as her mother came in. 

"Oh! Cedar! Eugene! There you are! I vas so vorried about you two!" she exclaimed. "I thought the monster had gotten you." 

"Is all rrright," Cedar assured her. "The Dark Falcon came and saved us." 

"Ah, yes. Vat a stroke of good fortune, that he should come to save us," said Poplar. 

"Vell, Eugene," said Hemlock. "I can't see how you vould vant to stay now that ve are at var again. If you vish, I vill send you home again now." 

"Actually, Father," Cedar chirped, "Eugene vas thinking he vould like to stay a vile longer. Veren't you, Eugene?" 

"Uh, yeah," said Skull, taking the hint. "I'm not in a real hurry. I'd kinda like to stay and see the excitement. I could hang around a while longer - if that's all right with you." 

"Oh, ya, fine," said Poplar. "There is guestroom upstairs next door to Cedar's room. I could fix it up for you . . . unless you'd rather-" 

"The room next door will be just fine," Skull interjected quickly. He didn't know what she was going to suggest, and he wasn't sure he wanted to. 

"Come on. I show you the way," Cedar volunteered. She took him by the arm and began leading him away. 

"You see?" said Hemlock to Poplar. "I told you. Give them some time, they'll figure things out." 

Skull smiled. Maybe someday they'd figure out that Cedar was just a friend . . . or maybe they would turn out to be right after all. Whatever happened, living on Tien was going to be interesting. Terra Venture could wait for him a while longer. In the meantime, this world needed a hero . . . and until it got one, Skull was going to have to do. 

The End . . . for now.


	3. The Crow in the Iron Mask (part 1)

IbDisclaimer:/b Skull, Lord Zedd, and Goldar are the property of the Saban people. All other  
characters are mine./i   
pcenterThe Crow in the Iron Mask - Part 1  
pcenterBy: SilvorMoon/center  
pThe sun peeked through the window of an upper room of a comfortable house on the outskirts of  
town, filling it with soft pink-orange light. Its warmth stirred up the desert air and caused a gentle  
breeze to rustle through the garden out back, collecting on its way the sweet and spicy scents of  
herbs. It lingered by the back door, as if enjoying the fragrance of baking bread that issued from it,  
before drifting upstairs to tickle the nose of a soundly sleeping teenager.  
Skull yawned and stretched as he recognized the smell of breakfast being made downstairs. Poplar  
enjoyed playing the role of responsible housewife, so she often got up early to cook fresh bread for  
her family - as well as for whatever peculiar friends who might choose to stay with them. This  
effort did not go unappreciated by anyone, especially because she was a good cook. Getting up at  
the crack of dawn to go to school had always seemed rather pointless to Skull, but it was worth  
waking up at sunrise if he could be the first one to get his hands on a freshly cooked honey-nut roll  
still warm from the oven.  
pStill, getting out of bed was hardly an easy task, even with such alluring scents rising up from  
downstairs. Today, the chore was especially difficult. He didn't feel like moving much. He had  
never known it was possible to be so sore! He had spent the last few days very busily, and his  
muscles, unused to such strenuous labor, were protesting. Cedar had decided that now that he had  
wings, he should learn how to use them, so several hours of the day before had been dedicated to  
teaching her human friend the basics of aerobatics. She was a good teacher, and Skull had grasped  
the instructions on air currents and wing positions, diving and rolling, swooping and dodging with  
speed that would have been surprising to anyone who had known him before. Not that he was a  
flying ace yet (Cedar had been forced to rescue him several times when he had lost his grip on the  
air and fallen), but his former trainer, Lt. Stone, would have been amazed to see Skull working so  
hard and following orders. Still, there was a big difference between having a hard-driving  
policeman chasing him with a megaphone and having Cedar there with her boundless energy and  
encouragement. Skull wanted to make Cedar happy, so he pushed himself to his limits to try to live  
up to her standards . . . even if it left his back and arms in agony the next day.  
pEventually, he managed to haul himself out of bed and get himself ready for the coming day.  
Standing on his dresser was a bowl of clean, cold water, and he splashed some of it on his face to  
wake himself up. Then he went to the wardrobe in the corner to find something decent to wear.  
Red, black, and purple, red, black, and purple . . . nearly all of his new clothes seemed to come in  
shades of red, black, and purple. In order to assist him in blending into the Aerial society, and  
because he hadn't packed for a long visit, the Wind family had taken him shopping for new clothes  
made in the Tienese style. He hadn't noticed the trend when he had picked them out, but now that  
they were all hanging together in the closet, it was hard not to see the similarity in coloring.  
Somehow, wearing those colors made him feel just the tiniest bit more alert and able to think more  
clearly, as if having even that tenuous link to the Dark Falcon gave him a little bit of his alter ego's  
powers.   
pHe stopped rummaging through the wardrobe long enough to cast a glance at his necklace. It was  
still where he had left it the night before, coiled carefully on top of the dresser next to his  
hairbrush. It was a strange thing, that necklace. He had been wearing it constantly since the day he  
got it, hardly ever taking it off, even in the safety of his new home. It wasn't that he feared he  
might actually need it. It was just that he had formed an odd attachment to the thing, and he didn't  
quite feel comfortable without it. Even when he was wearing it, he still kept reaching up to touch  
it, to assure himself that it was still there, that it hadn't been lost or stolen or imagined, and he'd  
already developed the habit of toying with it in times of stress.   
pNot that he particularly wanted to need to use its power again. It had been quiet for the last few  
days, and he was beginning to hope that perhaps there would be no more attacks on Tien, that  
Zedd had been dismayed enough by his defeat that he would make no more attempts at destroying  
the planet, and there would be no more need for the Dark Falcon. Skull had never wanted to be a  
hero, and he was still leery of the whole idea. It wasn't just battling monster that frightened him  
(though the idea was still one that definitely held no appeal for him), but there was just something  
creepy about making that transformation and suddenly becoming someone else. Even more than  
that, Skull was scared by the idea that all these people's lives could be depending on him, and he  
would be expected to save them. That idea was infinitely more terrifying than the idea of anything  
that might just effect him alone. Just thinking about it made him want to go and hide under his bed  
until it was all over.  
pAfter he had dressed and groomed himself suitably, Skull ambled downstairs to find Poplar just  
taking a tray of small rolls out of the oven.   
p"Good morning, Eugene," she chirped.   
p"Morning," Skull replied. He reached for one of the rolls, but Poplar swatted his hand away with a  
flick of her wing.  
p"Don't touch yet. Hot," she explained. "Vait a bit until they cool. There is frrruit on the table if you  
vant some."  
pSkull shrugged and helped himself to a handful of olive-sized fruits, peculiar things with bright  
purple skins and soft yellow insides that tasted sort of like a banana cream pie, and he leaned  
against a wall and munched on him while he waited for the bread to cool. There was nothing in the  
kitchen resembling a table, and no dining room at all. The Aerials had no particular meal schedule,  
and they had very little concept of time. When they were hungry, they would grab something and  
eat it "on the wing." They slept when they were tired and did business when they felt like it. Time  
was measured almost exclusively by the movements of the sun, moon, and stars, and clocks were a  
rare curiosity rather than a necessary tool. Skull had brought a watch with him when he first came  
to Tien, and Cedar had been so fascinated by it that he had finally given it to her. She may not have  
been able to understand its purpose, but the idea of a bracelet with moving parts was one that she  
found incredible.  
p"Do you want me to do the shopping today?" Skull asked, after a moment or two.  
p"If you vouldn't mind," Poplar replied. She knew that he didn't mind, since he had done the  
shopping for the last three days, but it was the polite thing to say. "There is list on the hall table,  
and I left the purse next to it. There should be plenty of money in it."  
p"Okay. I'll go right now," said Skull. He headed for the front door, snatching up one of the rolls as  
he went.  
pHe found the list just where Poplar had said it would be, written on a roll of parchment in  
Hemlock's neat, fluid handwriting. He skimmed over it - mostly food items, plus a few things  
Hemlock needed for his magical practices and a few other odds and ends. It would be easy enough  
to get everything, even for Skull. It had been made clear to him, gently but firmly, that if he was  
going to be partaking of the Wind family's hospitality for an extended length of time, he was  
expected to act as if he was part of the family himself, and that meant that part of the household  
chores would fall to him. Since he was clumsy at housekeeping, and cooking and sewing were  
completely beyond him, he had been allotted the task of buying groceries. This was, in a way, just  
as important as anything else. The Aerials, with their avian nature, had much higher metabolisms  
than humans, and thus needed more food to supply the energy they used, which meant that food  
supplies had to be restocked often. With the money-purse slung over his shoulder, the list in one  
hand and the hot roll in the other, he set out toward the marketplace.  
pcenter~*~/center  
pLord Zedd was in a thoughtful mood. There had to be a change in the way this war was going, and  
it would have to come fairly soon. He was not in any immediate danger of losing just yet - he was  
actually gaining ground daily, but the gains were slow and laborious. Monsters were difficult  
things to control even at the best of times, and trying to make such a large army of them do as he  
wanted was a strenuous task. Even if he was making overall progress, if any of his soldiers were  
not content with how well they were doing, they could very well desert, or even revolt. If the pace  
of his conquest didn't pick up soon, he might lose the war just because of the time factor. He was  
in dire need of something to speed things up a bit, and his thoughts kept returning to the Crystal of  
All Times. He would have had it, and Tien as well, if that Dark Falcon person hadn't arrived at just  
the wrong moment and spoiled his plan. Well, he wasn't beaten yet, not by a long chalk! He had  
plans for the Dark Falcon that would end his heroic career before it even got started! Now, where  
was that pathetic general? What was his name again? Oh, yes.  
p"Goldar!" he shouted. "Get in here and report!"  
pA flash of fire swirled into being and resolved itself into the shape of an armor-plated winged  
thing. Goldar bowed to his emperor until Zedd impatiently gestured for him to stand.  
p"There's no time for that," he said. "Have you found any volunteers to take on the Dark Falcon?"  
p"I've got one so far," Goldar replied. "He's not very experienced yet, but-"  
p"Never mind," interrupted the emperor. "He is, at this point, expendable. If he wins, well and  
good. If he doesn't, well, it won't matter."  
pGoldar was a bit surprised. "You never said this was a suicide mission."  
p"It isn't necessarily that. Let's just say that I have a Plan B standing by. Besides, what does it  
matter if I feel like sacrificing an expendable fool?" Zedd replied. "That's none of your business,  
and if you voice any more objections . . ."  
p"Oh, I'm not objecting," Goldar said quickly.  
p"Good. Go ahead and send our volunteer to Tien whenever you feel like it. In the meantime, I am  
expecting a visitor . . ."  
pThe conversation was interrupted, as a servant abruptly peeped through a small side entrance and  
looked fearfully up at Lord Zedd. The creature was a rodentlike animal with a rabbity face and a  
twitching nose, and he seem to be nearly ready to faint with terror.  
p"Your majesty," it squeaked, "I beg your pardon for interrupting, but-" his voice dropped to a  
whisper, "- there is an Eccubus here to see you."  
p"Good," Zedd replied. "Send it in."  
The servant blanched beneath its fur, but it scuttled obediently away to obey the order. Goldar  
risked an incredulous glance at his ruler. An Eccubus? No wonder the servant looked frightened!  
p"You are dismissed," the emperor said to Goldar. The winged primate bowed and left, but he  
lingered in the doorway, covertly watching the proceedings.  
pA few seconds later, the servant reappeared, escorting (from a safe distance) a very odd- looking  
thing. It was roughly humanoid in shape, but as featureless as anything could be and still merit the  
term and without any characteristics that would indicate its gender. It was completely matte black  
from its expressionless head to its toeless feet. Its hands were simply flexible flipper-like  
appendages at the end of its spindly arms, without even a thumb for gripping. Its head looked a  
little too small for its body, and it had no facial features at all save for a pair of shallow concavities  
in the general area of its eyes. It was only about six feet tall, but it gave the illusion of being taller.  
It looked as if it had once been a very small thing that someone had taken and stretched it until it  
was grossly out of proportion. Even at its widest point, a person could have easily encircled its  
torso with their hands, and such hands as it had hung down past its knees. The whole thing looked  
as if there was nothing beneath its smooth skin but toothpicks and rubber bands, and it moved as if  
it were having trouble keeping its balance. Harmless as it seemed, there was an aura of wrongness  
about it that could give even a hardened warrior a brief chill - even if they didn't know anything  
about what the Eccubi were capable of.  
pZedd appraised the creature coolly. He had ordered that an Eccubus be brought to him, and here it  
was. He was rather pleased that he had gotten a response so fast. Eccubi were very powerful,  
creatures of warped magic that lived only to destroy, but they were very rare and often short lived  
. . . but it only took one a little while to wipe out a city and all its inhabitants. This one had  
obviously not been feeding too well as of late, which only made it even more dangerous. There  
were few things quite as hard to deter as a starving Eccubus. You had to have eyes in the back of  
your head and lightning reflexes to deal with them, but the mage was confident that he had the  
strength and wits to handle this thing.  
p"Greetings, oh mighty Lord Zedd," hissed the Eccubus. Its voice sounded like the rattling of dry  
leaves, and it seemed to emanate from its entire body. "Why have you summoned me? Have you  
need of my power? It would be an honor to work with you." It took a hopeful step forwards,  
teetering on its stick-like legs.  
p"Back off!" Zedd commanded, and the creature cringed away. "Stay where you are, and none of  
your tricks."  
P"Please," the thing whined pathetically. "I'm so hungry. Have pity on me, great master, or I'll  
starve!"  
p"Quiet, Eccubus. I do need your special abilities, but not for myself," answered Lord Zedd. "There  
is a hero obstructing my path to universal domination. If you can catch him, you can have him."  
p"Ah, a hero!" crooned the Eccubus. "How idelicious/i! Yes, I will gladly rid you of this hero, Lord  
Zedd."  
p"Excellent," the mage replied. "Now, listen closely, and I'll tell you what I want you to do."  
The Eccubus took a few steps forward, the better to hear what was being said, and listened eagerly  
as the warlord outlined the plan.   
pcenter~*~/center  
pEven though the morning had just begun, the marketplace was already open and bustling with  
customers. That was one advantage in the Aerial customs of time management - the city stayed  
open all the time, as the early birds gave way to the night owls. Skull wandered through the  
streets, watching the myriad feathered forms dashing all around him. He kind of enjoyed doing the  
shopping. It wasn't a particularly exciting job, but it was something he could do and accomplish  
fairly well. There was also the added bonus that any money he managed to save after the shopping  
was done, he was allowed to keep as payment for the work. Poplar was an astute woman, and she  
always made sure there would be a little left over, but never too much. Anyway, the market was  
interesting, better than any grocery store back home. He was really feeling quite cheerful as he  
made his way toward the heart of the city.  
p"Hey, you!" hissed a voice from an alley.  
pSkull stopped in his tracks and looked around. There was no one in sight.  
p"W-who's there?" he asked, a little fearfully.  
p"We're over here," the voice replied.   
pShading his eyes from the light of the rising sun, Skull took a few steps forward and peered into  
the alley. Now he could make out a few vague people-shapes hidden in the shadows.  
p"Where are you off to, stranger?" asked another voice. "We haven't seen you in the neighborhood  
before."  
p"Uh . . . I was just, uh, doing some shopping," Skull stammered. "Anyway, I'm kinda in a hurry, so  
I'll see you around, okay?"  
p"Not so fast, buddy," a deep voice replied. A male Aerial stepped into visibility. He was one of the  
more human types, with only a shock of black crest-feathers to show he had any avian in him at all,  
and he did not look friendly.   
p"Yeah," the first voice added. A second young man came out to stand next to his companion. "We  
don't like strangers in our neighborhood. You aren't leaving until you tell us who you are."  
p"And if you don't tell us," the third person added, coming out to stand with his friends, "we might  
have to force it out of you."  
P"Um, uh, um . . ." Skull stammered, looking around desperately for an escape. "I gotta go now.  
Bye!"  
PSkull took off running as fast as he could. Unfortunately, he was no match for the Aerials in speed.  
The one with the black feathers transformed into a crow and flew after him, while the other two  
ran to cut off his escape from the sides. The crow landed in front of him and changed back into a  
human, and Skull found himself surrounded.  
p"Stupid! You can't run away from us!" the crow-man said. "In case you didn't know, I'm Obsidian,  
and these are my pals, Onyx and Jet."  
P"We're the Blackbirds," Onyx said. "We own this part of town, and we don't like intruders!"  
P"Why are you running away from us, huh?" asked Jet. "Do you have something to hide, maybe?"  
P"What kind of bird are you, anyway?" added Obsidian. "A turkey?"  
p"Look, he's wearing shoes!" said Jet. "He's no Aerial at all! He's human!"  
p"Listen, guys, I can explain!" Skull stammered. "I'm not doing anything wrong, really!"  
P"Don't lie to me," said Obsidian. "I can see right through you. You're an outsider, an invader! We  
don't allow outsiders on our turf, do we, guys?"  
pThe other two Aerials shook their heads. Skull paled.  
P"What are you going to do to me?" he asked fearfully.  
pObsidian laughed cruelly. "Just watch!"  
pSometime later, Poplar was busy sweeping the kitchen when she suddenly heard a strange sound at  
the front door. Curious, she went to open it, and Skull staggered in. The purse with all the money  
had been stolen, and Skull was left only with torn clothes, a black eye, a split lip, and bruises too  
numerous to count. Poplar gasped in shock.  
P"Hemlock, Cedar, come qvick!" she called. "Eugene, vat happened? Are you all rrright?"  
p"I think . . . you'll have to . . . get someone else . . . to do the shopping today," he replied, and  
passed out on the floor.  
pcenter~*~/center  
pThe Eccubus wandered through the shadows and back alleys of the city, watching all the people,  
feeling the tingling of their life-auras brushing his sensitive skin. They never noticed him, never  
really saw him even when he was standing in plain view. It was a talent of his - of his whole race,  
in fact - that he could make himself appear to be whatever the viewer expected him to be. To  
some, he would appear to be an ordinary person, out on legitimate business. To others, he would  
appear to be a tree, or just a shadow. No matter what they thought he was, he would always be  
something perfectly ordinary, too dull to pay any attention to. It was a very small magic, but a very  
effective one. Like this, he could stalk anyone he wanted and have them in his power before they  
knew what had hit them . . . The Eccubus sighed. It was extremely tempting to try to snatch one or  
two of these unsuspecting citizens and make a quick meal of them, but he knew none of them  
would give him what he really needed. He was weak, now, and he needed a real, substantial meal  
to give him back his strength. Once he had renewed his energy, he could take down the others at  
leisure. For now, though, his best bet was to follow Lord Zedd's plan. If it worked, the powers of  
the Dark Falcon would he his, and then . . . the Eccubus positively vibrated with anticipation. All  
he needed now was someone to help him set the trap . . .  
pSuddenly, all his senses snapped to attention as he felt a difference in the auras that were drifting  
past him. Most of the people of this world had cheerful, pleasant auras that were of little interest to  
the Eccubus - except, perhaps, as possible future snacks. Just now, though, he had felt some new  
sensations that were more to his liking. There was someone very nearby whose aura thrummed  
with anger and fear. Perfect! That was exactly what the Eccubus wanted. There were other auras  
like it nearby, but none were as strong as the first one. Laughing to himself, the Eccubus tottered  
towards them.  
pMeanwhile, the Blackbird gang was relaxing in a back alley, celebrating their recent victory and  
their newfound cash.   
P"We showed that human a thing or two," laughed Jet. "Bet he never shows his featherless face  
around here again!"  
P"If he does," Obsidian replied, "we'll just have to teach him another lesson. Tien's had enough of  
outsiders."  
P"Are you sure we didn't overdo it a little bit?" asked Onyx nervously.   
P"What do you mean, overdo it?" snapped Obsidian. "We let him off easy. He's lucky we didn't give  
him more than bruises."  
p"Where do you think he got the money?" Jet asked thoughtfully, casually spilling his share of the  
loot from hand to hand. "You think he's got some friends around here or something?"  
P"Aw, he prob'ly stole it," Onyx replied. "That's all the outsiders want, anyway."  
P"You got that straight," said Obsidian. "They come here trying to take over and steal everything  
that belongs to us. You know, Hemlock's getting old and crazy, thinking we can make peace with  
them. If I were a general, I'd get the soldiers back out there and start wiping them all out."  
p"Perhaps I could be of some help in that situation," hissed a voice.  
All eyes turned to the dark end of the alley. There was someone there that they hadn't noticed  
before, someone who looked a lot like an old man draped in a black hood and cloak. His face was  
hidden in deep shadow, and his voice was barely a whisper.   
P"Who are you?" asked Obsidian suspiciously.  
P"A friend. A man of power. I can help you," the stranger replied. "I am a believer in the superiority  
of the Aerial race. I can give you the power to protect it from the invaders who would destroy it."  
p"If you have a power, why don't you use it yourself?" Obsidian asked.  
p"I am too old. I need a young, strong warrior to do the job . . . someone like you," the old man  
replied. "What do you say, young man? Won't you listen to my offer?"  
P"How do I know you aren't lying to me? Show me some proof, first, and then I'll decide,"  
demanded Obsidian. He took a step closer, his eyes locked on the cloaked figure.  
p"Not with them around," the stranger replied. "This deal is between you and me."  
Obsidian immediately turned to his friends, fixing them with a cold stare. "You heard him, guys.  
Get lost."  
p"But, Obsidian . . ." Jet protested. He and his friend exchanged looks. There was something about  
this odd old man that they didn't like.  
P"I said get out of here!" said Obsidian. Reluctantly, his two friends walked away, leaving their  
leader alone with the mysterious stranger.  
P"Good, good," said the stranger. "Now, come closer and see what it is I have to show you."  
Obsidian did as he was bidden. As he drew nearer, he saw the old man reach into the sleeve of his  
cloak and withdraw a mask of gleaming silver metal that shone even in the shadows. Eerie lights,  
like moonlight on water, seemed to flash from it and cover the walls of the nearby buildings with  
silver reflections. The glow highlighted Obsidian's glossy feathers and made his eyes shine  
strangely, but oddly did nothing to illuminate the old man's face.   
p"What is it?" asked Obsidian, reaching out as if hypnotized to touch the smooth, cool metal.  
p"This," the old man said with authority, "is an article of power. Wear it, and you will receive the  
strength, speed, agility, and endurance to destroy any foe. Are you interested?"  
P"I could be like the Dark Falcon?" asked Obsidian.  
P"Greater by far! You can't imagine the kinds of things that will happen if you accept my gift."  
Even in his astoundment, Obsidian was still a bit suspicious. "This thing must be pretty powerful . .  
. maybe too good just to give away. What's in it for you, old man?"  
P"Just watch," said the Eccubus. His hand shot out, lightning fast, and went, ghostlike, straight  
inside Obsidian's chest. The Aerial screamed in pain and fear, and then there was a sudden flash.  
When the light died down, there was only one person left standing there. Obsidian laughed,  
looking down at the mask he held in his hands. His eyes had turned completely dead black.   
p"Yessssss!" he hissed, in a strange, double voice. It was as if he and the Eccubus were both  
speaking the same words at the same time. "This will do very well indeed! Already, I feel my  
powers returning. Now, to find the Dark Falcon . . ."  
pcenter~*~/center  
pSkull was pulled back into consciousness by the feeling of something cold and wet pressing against  
his sore face. He opened one eye (the other was swollen shut at the moment) and saw Cedar  
leaning over him with a concerned look on her face. He realized that he was lying in his bed again,  
and Cedar was cleaning his bruised and bloodied face with a cool, damp cloth. He ached all over,  
worse by far than he had felt that morning, but he felt a bit better than he had before he had  
blacked out. When he tried to stir, he felt his movements being constricted by bandages, and a  
sharp scent of herbs on the air suggested that someone (probably Hemlock) had applied medicinal  
salves to the worst of his cuts and bruises. Even so, his battered hide would probably have turned  
some interesting colors by tomorrow . . . red, black, and purple, probably.  
p"Are you all right?" asked Cedar worriedly.  
Skull resisted the urge to say something sarcastic. Cedar meant well, and she didn't deserve to be  
snapped at.  
p"I think I'll be okay," he managed to say, despite the fact that it made his face hurt even worse to  
talk.  
p"What happened to you?"  
P"I got jumped by a bunch of punks . . . they attacked me because I'm a human," Skull replied.  
"They beat me up and stole all the money . . ."  
pHe was suddenly struck by an anxious thought: what if the necklace had been taken? He reached  
for the place where it usually hung, but it was gone! Panic gripped him. If those punks had gotten  
a hold of his magical talisman . . . He forced himself to calm down and think, and as he did so, he  
realized that he could still feel the cord of the necklace against his throat. He grabbed the cord, and  
the pendant slid back into place from where it had fallen next to his shoulder. Skull gave a sigh of  
relief. Cedar took no notice of his momentary panic. She was talking, almost to herself.  
p"It is the war that is doing this," she said seriously. "People are beginning to become very  
suspicious of outsiders. Zedd looks like human, so some Aerials think that humans are dangerous.  
They begin to think that all outsiders are invaders. A few are saying they want all outsiders to be  
destroyed. The Blackbirds are a street gang. They distrust even other Aerials, sometimes. They do  
not like my father because they think he is weak."  
pSkull closed his good eye again. He was still feeling a bit lightheaded, and he really wanted to go  
back to sleep again. He remembered, in a hazy sort of way, how he used to behave long ago, when  
he and Bulk were still trying to be bullies. They had been obnoxious and insulting, and had  
occasionally relieved a few school nerds of their lunch money, but they had never done anything  
this bad to anyone. Still, he resolved that he would never, ever try picking on someone weaker  
than himself, if such a person existed. This was miserable.  
p"Aw, poor Eugene," Cedar said. "Are you still hurting? Papa left you some medicine to drink.  
Here."  
pSkull caught a whiff of something unpleasant, and he opened his eye again to see that Cedar was  
holding a ceramic bowl of greenish goo under his nose. He accepted the bowl and took a sip, and  
just barely resisted the urge to spit it out again. The stuff was excruciatingly bitter, but he gulped it  
down with a shudder. For a moment, he felt like he was going to be sicker than he already was,  
and then all his pains seemed to suddenly subside.  
p"Is good medicine, that," said Cedar. "Feel better now?"  
p"Yeah. Thanks," Skull replied. "Do you think it would be okay if I just rested here for a while? I  
don't really feel like moving."  
p"Of course. You rest, get better. I will go do shopping for you."  
p"Thanks," Skull replied.  
PHe closed his eye again, and listened to Cedar's quiet footsteps as she left the room. In more  
distant parts of the house, he could hear a quiet murmur of chirping conversation as Cedar  
explained the situation to her mother, and then there was the sound of an opening and closing door  
as she left the house. Then the house became quiet. Poplar would be sewing this time of day, and  
Hemlock was probably in his private study, going over whatever it was that he studied from those  
ancient, dusty tomes of his. Skull lay there for a while, just listening to the silence. It was boring,  
but somehow, he couldn't quite calm his thoughts enough to fall asleep. Finally, he gave up and  
got out of his bed. Moving stiffly and painfully, he wandered downstairs.   
As he came to the parlor, he saw Poplar sitting in her favorite chair, stitching a seam on one of  
Hemlock's old robes. She gave Skull a concerned look as he passed by.  
p"Eugene, arrre you sure you should be moving arrround?" she asked.  
p"I'm not going far," he assured her. "I just want to go out and sit in the garden."  
p"All rrright, then, but don't strrrain yourself. Come back in if you get tired," she instructed him.  
pSore as he felt, Skull smiled a little as he walked out into the garden. It was nice to have people  
who actually cared about his well-being. His own mother probably would have given him a  
scolding for getting into a fight in the first place. He sat down on top of the low stone wall that  
surrounded the garden, picking a shady spot beneath the branches of a spreading conifer that grew  
in one corner and just relaxed for a while, enjoying the sight and scent of the flowers and herbs.  
p*iThis day isn't going so well,/i* he thought to himself. *iI've already gotten myself robbed and beat  
up, and it isn't even lunchtime yet! What kind of hero am I, letting myself get pounded by a bunch  
of street thugs? How am I supposed to protect Tien when I can't even take care of myself?/i*   
p"bEr, ahem!/b" said a voice from above him.  
pSkull looked up. Sitting in the branches of the tree was a glowing bird made entirely of colored  
fires. It stared down at him with its hypnotic blue-green eyes.  
p"bHello, Eugene,/b" he said. "bI'm back. Did you miss me?/b"  
pSkull was a little annoyed by the question. Trust the self-centered thing to ask him that! It probably  
hadn't even noticed that he was injured.  
p"Oh, yeah," he said. "Our lives just haven't been the same since you left us."  
PThe sarcasm was lost on the Firebird. "bThat's nice. I'm glad at least isomebody/i appreciates  
my magnificence./b" He swooped gracefully down from the tree and perched on Skull's shoulder.  
He was noticeably warm to the touch. He craned his elegant neck around so he could inspect the  
human's injuries. "bI say, old chap, you look a frightful mess, has anyone told you that?/b"  
p"No, but thanks for telling me," Skull replied. "I never would have noticed."  
p"bWhat in the world did you do, anyway?/b" the Firebird continued. "bDid you lose a fight with  
one of those monsters you were so worried about?/b"  
p"Nah, there haven't been any monsters lately," Skull replied. He briefly explained the reason for his  
cuts and bashes.  
p"bWhy didn't you transform?/b" asked the Firebird in surprise. "bReally, I gave you a set of  
perfectly good powers. Why didn't you use them and beat some sense into those cretins?/b"  
pSkull thought about that for a moment. "I dunno. I guess I just didn't think about it. Besides, when  
I made my wish, I asked to protect the Aerials, not beat them up."  
p"bHumph!/b" said the Firebird derisively. "bIt seems to me that you'd be doing the Aerial race a  
favor by getting rid of those hooligans. Really, you could have done it quite easily. If you  
don't want to give them the beating they deserve, you could have at least taken a few  
warning shots at them - scare their pinfeathers off. That would teach them not to go  
assaulting innocent people./b"  
p"Cedar says they're already scared," Skull replied thoughtfully. Maybe it was true that the hoods  
deserved some form of punishment, but the Firebird's offensiveness made Skull want to disagree.  
"They already thought I was an enemy. I don't need to make them hate me more than they already  
do. The last thing I need is more enemies."   
p"bYou have no sense of self-preservation,/b" said the Firebird. "bHonestly, Eugene Skullovitch,  
you're going to be of absolutely no use to anyone if you insist on behaving like such a  
pacifist. What do you know about defending a planet?/b"  
p"Well, nothing," Skull answered. "I was trying to tell you that before, and you wouldn't listen to  
me."  
p"bWell, if you don't know what you're doing, you shouldn't contradict people when they try  
to give you good advice,/b" the Firebird replied. "bNow, I, on the other hand, have been  
everywhere and seen everything. You are lucky I've decided to stay here a while and help  
you out./b"  
p"You have? I though you were going to some Higher Realms or someplace like that."  
p"bI was there. Now I'm back,/b" the Firebird replied.  
p"What's the matter?" asked Skull. "Didn't they want you?"  
pThe Firebird turned and bit him sharply on the ear.  
p"Yowch!" Skull cried, pressing a hand to his newest injury. "What didja go and do that for?"  
p"bThat was to teach you to mind your own business,/b" answered the Firebird primly. "bDon't be  
impertinent to me, human. I iam/i a powerful near-immortal, you know. I could incinerate  
you just like that! By the way, you taste terrible. When was the last time you washed behind  
your ears?/b"  
p"Hey! It's not my fault they haven't invented showers here, yet," Skull protested.  
p"bHumph!/b" said the Firebird. "bA likely excuse. You need someone to keep you in line, young  
man, and I think I should be the one to do it./b"  
p"Okay, whatever," said Skull. He was starting to get tired of the bird's high and mighty attitude,  
and anyway, his head still hurt. "Do you mind if I go inside? I still don't feel so good."  
p"bOh, go right ahead,/b" the Firebird replied. "bDo you think there might be anything good to eat  
in there? Ambrosia and nectar is fine if you like that sort of thing, but I've always preferred  
the things you mortals eat./b"  
pSkull sighed. It sounded as if the Firebird didn't plan on going away any time soon. Could anything  
else go wrong today?  
pcenter~*~/center  
pCedar ventured out into the marketplace. Ordinarily, she would have enjoyed the trip - the sights,  
sounds, scents, and the companionship of the many other people around her - but today her mind  
was on serious issues that dulled any enjoyment she could have taken from the excursion. She was  
worried about her friend and what had been done to him, and what he might decide to do in  
response. Fond as she was of her human companion, she knew that bravery wasn't one of his  
strong suits. Would this incident disturb him enough that he might decide to leave her and her  
people? He was unhappy with the burden he had been placed under, and having to defend himself  
against the very people he had been told to protect couldn't possibly be making him feel any better  
about his task. He hadn't intended to stay here forever, after all. That much had been clear from  
the start. Someday, he would want to go back to his own people, and it wouldn't be fair of her or  
anyone else to expect him to stay in such a dangerous and unhappy situation. How much would it  
take to make him decide to give up his mission as a lost cause and go back to his own time and  
place?  
pHowever, as she walked, other things began to creep into her mind. People were talking, gossiping  
as they always did when they got together in large groups. There was an old flocking instinct left  
in the Aerial people, and they loved to get together and talk. Mixed in with the usual chatter about  
the prices at the fruit-vendor's stand and who had been seen flying with whom last night, there  
were whispers about the Dark Falcon. After all, he had only shown up a few days ago, and nothing  
else so exciting had happened in quite a while. The Dark Falcon was mysterious, and the  
townspeople loved a good mystery. Cedar could hear them as they traded guesses as to who he  
might be and where he came from.  
p"My cousin vas there, and she saw the whole thing," one woman was saying. "He drrropped right  
out of the sky in a burst of fire."  
p"No, he didn't!" a different lady said. "He vas flying. He had a tame Firebird there to carry him."  
p"Don't be crrrazy. There's no such thing as tame Firebirds," a man replied. "First, Firebirds can't be  
tamed. Second, there's only von at a time."  
p"Not true!" said the second woman. "I have uncle who is scholar, and he says there are hundreds  
of Firebirds - all descended from the One True Firebird, Fenikus."  
p"I think Dark Falcon is really old Fenikus himself in disguise," the man said. "Remember, the old  
legends say he vill come and prrrotect his people in time of need. It's about time he came to fulfill  
his duty."  
p"My husband thinks Dark Falcon is just von of us - a grrreat varrior who vas chosen by Fenikus to  
save us," said the second woman.  
p"I heard somevon say that Dark Falcon is mighty sorcerer," the first woman said tentatively.   
"That vould explain the tame Firebird," said the second woman. "A sorcerer could tame a  
Firebird-child, if anyvon could."  
p"If Dark Falcon vere sorcerer, he vouldn't need tame birds to carry him. He could just poof-appear  
verever he vanted to be," said the man.   
p"He probably doesn't need it," said the second woman. "Is just for convenience. See, he battles  
great monster vile his bird handles the small vons. Besides, you know how much sorcerers love to  
show off. Probably he just vanted von to look good."  
pThere was laughter, and the shoppers drifted apart.  
Cedar had listened to the entire conversation with some amazement. She hadn't actually taken the  
time to stop and think about how the rest of the world might see her and the Dark Falcon - she had  
been too busy trying to adjust herself to the idea. Now hearing the idle talk of the townsfolk had  
given her a surprise. Was that really how people saw her? Did they really believe Dark Falcon  
didn't need her? Hadn't they actually watched that first battle? It would have been Dark Falcon's  
last battle if she hadn't been there to save him from Goldar. He couldn't even fly without her help!  
Cedar was a highly emotional person, and now she was starting to go from worried concern to  
anger. It wasn't fair! Dark Falcon got the fame and glory, while she was just a figure in the  
background, hardly even worth noticing. She didn't even have a name! Listen to them calling her  
"it"! She was just a thing to them, a tame animal that did as her master bid her. Cedar sighed and  
ruffled her feathers... She didn't like the situation at all, but there wasn't much she could do about it  
at the moment. Later, when she was done with her work, she could talk it over with Eugene. He  
would sympathize with her. He would help her find some way to fix all this. It was a good thing,  
she thought, that Eugene didn't think of her the way these people did.  
pcenter~*~/center  
pThe Firebird caused a bit of a stir when he entered the Wind residence. He had perched himself on  
Skull's hand like a tame hawk, and had taken quite a while to arrange his tail feathers until they  
were ijust so/i before he would allow Skull to bring him inside where someone might see him. He did  
look rather grand like that, with his luminous feathers streaming out in the slightest breeze and  
casting rainbow lights in all directions. As the pair entered the front door, Poplar glanced up from  
her sewing. Her beak dropped open, and her amber eyes widened to what seemed like an  
impossible size.  
p"Vat is that?" she asked incredulously.  
p"Well, um, this is the Firebird," said Skull. "He's kind of here to visit."  
p". . . Oh," said Poplar uncertainly.   
p"bI do sincerely apologize if I am intruding," said the Firebird grandly. "Forgive me. I don't  
mean to cause any inconvenience to you, dear lady, but would it be too much to ask if you  
could perhaps find something in the way of refreshments? Some bread or fruit, perhaps? I  
don't like to be a bother, of course, but . . ./b"  
p"I'll get something right away," Poplar replied. Still looking dazed, she fluttered into the kitchen.  
She was so flustered, she ran right into her husband before she realized he was there.  
p"Vat is the hurry?" he asked. "You look shaken. Is something wrong?"  
p"I . . . there is . . ." Poplar stammered. "You have to see it for yourself, Hemlock. Ve have a guest  
vaiting in the parlor, and I must find him something to eat."  
P"A guest?" asked Hemlock worriedly. He ruffled his feathers in concern as he headed for the  
parlor. He was not quite prepared for what he found, which was Skull sitting casually in the  
second-best armchair with an astounding glowing bird on his shoulder.  
p"Vat in the vorld . . . ?" asked Hemlock in astoundment.  
p"Oh, hi, Hemlock," said Skull tiredly. "This is the Firebird. Firebird, this is Hemlock."  
p"Pleasure to meet you," the Firebird said, nodding graciously.   
p"The Firebird?" Hemlock repeated. "The real Firebird? Incredible! Vat is he doing here?"  
P"I dunno, maybe he likes me or something," said Skull.   
p"bI'll admit, he is at least interesting,/b" said the Firebird. "bI haven't decided whether or not I  
like him yet, but that's understandable, considering our short acquaintance . . . It seems to  
me that we've met before. Are you the one I healed when that dreadful monster showed up  
and disrupted things the other day?/b"  
p"Yes. I thank you for that," said Hemlock, still stunned but remembering his manners. "Velcome to  
my home, noble Firebird. It is a very great honor to have you here."  
p"bI know,/b" said the Firebird, preening his feathers in a show of modesty. He was very pleased with  
the attention he was getting. "bI take it, then, that you are someone of importance? Forgive me  
for not knowing, but I've been out of circulation for a while./b"  
p"Yes, the people have elected me as their leader." Hemlock replied. "Vy have you come here,  
Firebird? Is it because of the var? Have you come to save us, as the old legends say?"  
p"bThat,/b" said the Firebird grandly, "bis for me to know and you to find out. It is not for mortals  
to pry in the affairs of greater beings./b"  
p"I see," said Hemlock. His crest feathers pricked in annoyance at the bird's haughty attitude.  
In that moment, Poplar returned bearing a tray of fruit and rolls.   
p"Here you are, honorable sir," she said, with a slight curtsey.  
p"bJust set them down over there,/b" Firebird said, gesturing at the coffee table with a flick of his  
wing, "band then both of you go away. I have important matters I wish to discuss with my  
friend Eugene./b"  
p"As you vish," Hemlock replied. He bowed stiffly to the bird, and then swept out, beckoning for  
Poplar to follow. As he left he said to her, "You know, there is only von bad thing about legends."  
p"Vat is that?" Poplar replied.  
p"The truth is never as grrreat as the stories say."  
pMeanwhile, with the others gone, the Firebird swooped over to the table and picked up one of the  
rolls in his claw and tore off a small chunk with his sharp beak, taking care not to get crumbs on  
his snowy plumage.  
p"bNow,/b" he said, "blet's get you straightened out. If you're going to be representing me to the  
rest of the planet, I want you to look good. You've got to start having a little self-confidence,  
young man./b"  
p"What for?" Skull asked. "I'm no hero. If you'd actually been there in the battle, you woulda seen it  
for yourself. I would have been toast if it hadn't been for Cedar."  
p"bIs that so?/b" the Firebird answered disapprovingly. "bWhy weren't you doing your part?/b"  
p"Well, I was, but-"  
p"bNo objections. You listen to me. You are a ihero/i, Eugene Skullovitch. More importantly,  
you are imy/i chosen warrior. If you're going to do this, you are going to do it right./b"  
p"Then tell me how you want it done," Skull snapped. He couldn't be blamed for losing his temper,  
not with everything that had happened today.  
p"bI'm going to. Now, listen carefully. If you're going to be an effective hero, you've got to  
learn how to do things for yourself. Stop depending so much on other people. I gave you  
what you need to defend yourself, so start taking some responsibility. You don't need any  
help, and you'll be much more effective - and successful - if you're more self-reliant./b"  
p"Aw, I don't know . . ." said Skull uncertainly. "I'm still new at this, and Cedar's always so good at  
knowing what to do . . ."  
p"bStop,/b" the Firebird interrupted. "bHow are you ever supposed to learn anything about the hero  
business if you're letting Cedar do all the work? I'm telling you, things will be better in the  
long run if you learn how to take charge./b"  
p"Are you really sure I can do that?" Skull asked.  
p"bOf course you can!/b" the Firebird replied. "bI chose you, didn't I? I wouldn't have made you  
the Dark Falcon if I didn't have complete faith in you./b"  
p"Well, if you're sure . . ." said Skull reluctantly. "I guess I could give it a try."  
p"bYou do that,/b" Firebird replied. "bTrust me. I've been around. I know these things./b" He  
swallowed the last of the roll he had been eating and reached for one of the odd purple fruits, but  
he stopped in mid-motion as something seemed to catch his attention.  
p"bMy phenomenal extrasensory abilities are telling me that there is a disturbance going on,/b"  
he said. "bThis, I believe, would be a perfect time for you to go out and apply what I'm  
teaching you./b"  
p"But I don't want to!" Skull protested. "Shouldn't we look for Cedar? She's already downtown.  
She could-"  
p"bI'm not interested in what she can do,/b" the Firebird replied. "bI'm interested in what you can  
do. Now, get out there and find the monster!/b"  
p"Oh, all right," said Skull. Looking thoroughly displeased with the situation, he shuffled out of the  
room.   
pMoving somewhat stiffly, owing both to his sore muscles and his newly-acquired bumps and  
scrapes, he trotted upstairs towards the roof with various thoughts spinning through his brain. Part  
of him was just a little worried that perhaps Cedar could have been caught unawares by whatever  
had alerted the Firebird. If something had happened to her, he really would be alone, an idea he  
didn't relish at all. Even with her help, he wasn't quite sure he felt up to battling a monster today,  
not after everything else that had gone wrong. The very idea made his insides tie themselves in  
knots, the way they did on exam day when he knew for certainty that he knew absolutely none of  
the answers and was probably in all kinds of trouble. But this was worse, much worse. With every  
passing second, the familiar litany played itself more loudly in his mind:i I can't do this, I can't do  
this, I can't, I can't, I can't . . . /I  
pOr could he? The Firebird certainly thought he could, and he figured the Firebird probably knew  
more about the matter than he did. Anyone would know more than he did, he figured. He didn't  
suffer any grandiose delusions about his intelligence. He had always relied on those who were  
stronger and smarter and more confident to tell him what to do and give him simple tasks that he  
could understand. He had never really seriously thought of doing anything by himself. Hadn't  
people been telling him all his life that the area between his ears was generally empty space? But it  
had felt different, being the Dark Falcon. The Dark Falcon knew what he was doing. While he was  
the Dark Falcon, it was ihe/i who was strong and smart and confident. Skull recalled how he had  
been able to defeat that monster, Goldar, with relative ease - Goldar, who had given even the  
Power Rangers problems! Once he had figured out what he was supposed to be doing, it had been  
almost effortless . . . and it had been fun. Maybe Firebird was right. Maybe he didn't need any help.  
Maybe there had been a hero inside all along that he had never known about.  
p*iAll right, then. This time, I'm going to do this right. I'm going to win this fight, and I'm going to  
do it alone!/i*  
pFor a moment, Skull stood up on top of the house, looking out into the city. Living out there were  
hundreds of good people who were counting on him not to make any stupid mistakes. Out there,  
too, was a monster that could presumably destroy him if he idid/i make any mistakes.   
p"Well, here goes nothing," he said to himself. "Firebird!"  
pIn a multi-hued flash, he transformed into his new and not quite comfortable form, the Dark  
Falcon. He took a running leap from the roof and jumped, letting his shiny purple and red wings  
catch the air just as Cedar had taught him, riding the wind currents up into the air, guided by the  
sensation of something not as it should be . . .  
pcenter~*~/center  
pThe monster was having a marvelous time! He had never known that ransacking cities could be so  
much fun! Somehow, he had always thought it would be a little more difficult, but here he was on  
his first real mission, causing chaos and setting people to running and screaming, just like the  
professionals. Maybe he was really suited to this line of work after all, no matter what his trainers  
said. Maybe he would do well at this. Maybe the emperor would give him a reward or make him a  
general! He laughed the cruel laugh he had been practicing the night before, getting ready for this,  
as he watched yet another fire start as he cracked the whip he wielded and sent out cascades of  
magical sparks. The fires he started would burn on anything - even water, even stone. That was  
how he had earned his name: Firestrike.  
pWhat he did not know was that somewhere very close by, someone was watching him and  
planning her move. The moment Cedar had heard the sounds of a commotion, she had taken to the  
sky, and was now observing the chaos from a secluded area on the roof of a building. What she  
saw was a monster dressed in blue and silver armor and grinning a toothy grin. He was wielding a  
long, barbed whip, snapping it at everything in reach, and where it struck, blue-white sparks rose  
up in clouds and created small blue fires wherever they landed. A few brave people were trying to  
douse the flames with buckets of water or suffocate them with dirt, but all their efforts merely  
seem to make the flares blaze hotter and stronger. Everywhere was panic as the townsfolk  
scrambled to collect their most precious belongings from burning buildings or corralling young  
fledglings that shrieked and cried in terror. To add to the confusion, the fires were putting out  
thick grey-blue smoke that made seeing difficult and breathing next-to-impossible. It seemed to  
permeate everything, as if it had a mind of its own and was deliberately seeking to choke the life  
out of anyone who came within range.  
p*iFire is such a terrible weapon,/I* Cedar thought. *iWell, I know how to put a stop to this!/i*  
p"Firebird!" she said aloud.   
pA wave of rose-gold fire washed over her and reshaped her, changing her from the form of a  
human girl to an eagle-like being, a creature made of fires that were as good as those  
conflagrations that burned below her were evil. She fanned her new wings, preparing to swoop  
down on the invader in her city and teach it a lesson it wouldn't soon forget.  
pMeanwhile, the Dark Falcon's attention had been attracted to the scene. Even before the shouts  
and explosions had been audible, even before he had seen the haze and the uncanny blue glows of  
the dark fires, he had been warned that something was amiss by the scent of smoke on the air, a  
detail that would have escaped him completely in his natural form. He soared serenely above the  
destruction, hidden from view by the smokescreen, trying to decide the best way to go about this.  
Suddenly, he had seen a blink of light that was not blue, but more like orange or pink, and he  
swooped down lower to get a better look.  
p"Cedar!" he exclaimed in some relief. He really had been worried about her.   
p"Oh, there you are!" she said. "I vondered if you vould come. There is a monster setting fires  
down there - I vas just going to trrry to stop him ven you came."  
p"It's okay. I'll handle it," he assured her.  
p"Vat you mean, you'll handle it?" she replied, puzzled.  
p"I mean, I think I can do this myself. I want to do it alone this time."  
p"But . . . I don't understand. Ve are partners. Ve are supposed to do this together. Don't you vant  
my help?"  
p"Not now. Just stay here where it's safe. I don't think I need you this time." Skull tried to say it as  
gently as he could, but the words were hard to say for him. They didn't feel right, somehow. As  
soon as they were out of his mouth, he found himself wanting to take them back - he was almost  
sure he was blushing with shame - but the Firebird's stern lecture was ringing in his ears. He had to  
learn to be a good hero. Tien was depending on him. Surely Cedar could understand that, couldn't  
she? Before she could say another word, anything that might make him lose his nerve, he leaped  
from the ledge of the roof and let his wings slice through the smoke as they carried him down to  
earth.  
pAs he neared the ground, he flipped his wings upward in the neat little maneuver that Cedar had  
taught him, the one where that let him make almost a complete halt in midair before he dropped to  
the ground - the one where he had wrenched his shoulders and fallen flat on his back the first six  
times he had tried it. This time, however, he performed it perfectly, landing with no sound at all as  
the soles of his purple boots touched the soft, sandy street.  
p"Hey, you!" he shouted at the monster. He didn't dare say anything more - using words with more  
than one syllable would have revealed the rather ignominious fact that his teeth were trying to  
chatter.   
pThe monster paused in his fire-starting long enough to see who had spoken. Standing there behind  
him, in a place where no one had been before, there was now a very unusual someone. He was  
dressed in dark colors, and in the thick smoke he seemed hardly more than a silhouette.   
p"Who are you?" he asked.  
p"I am the Dark Falcon!" the stranger replied. "You'd better stop what you're doing right now and  
get out of here or I'll . . . I'll . . . I'll do something really bad to you, so you'd better give up and go  
home!"  
pThe monster regarded this Dark Falcon person with some confusion. "Oh. So, you're a hero,  
then?"  
p"That's right," Skull replied, glad he had been able to make some kind of impression on his  
opponent. Maybe he was getting the hang of this hero stuff after all!  
p"Well, if you're a hero, it means I'm supposed to try to destroy you, right?" asked Firestrike.  
"Wow. That oughta be fun. Okay, hero, take this!"  
pThe monster lashed his whip, and Skull spun out of the way. The tip of the lash struck the ground  
instead, and a small fire sprang up and started burning merrily.  
p*iWhoa, gotta watch that,/i* Skull thought.  
p"Hold still, would you?" the monster demanded. "How'm I supposed to set you on fire if you don't  
let me hit you?" He took a step towards Skull and cracked his whip again, and once again, Dark  
Falcon jumped out of the way.  
p"Is that what you're doing?" Skull asked. "Just setting fire to stuff?"  
p"Yeah. I mean, do I really need to do anything else?" the monster replied. "Anything I hit with my  
whip will catch on fire, and it'll keep on burning no matter what. These fires will never go out  
unless I'm destroyed . . . and that's not going to happen, since I'm going to burn you up, too."  
p"You've got to catch me first," Skull replied, dodging yet another strike.   
P"Yeah, that's true," the monster agreed. "Boy, I wish you'd quit jumping around like that. It would  
be a whole lot easier if you'd just let me incinerate you and get it over with."  
P"Who says I'm supposed to make this easy for you?" asked Skull, once again narrowly missing a  
crack of the whip.  
P"Well, I've got to destroy you, so you might as well just give up," the monster replied. "Anyway,  
you're really starting to get on my nerves. I can't catch you if you won't hold still."  
p"I'm not gonna hold still," Skull replied, "so it looks like you're stuck." He dodged the whip yet  
again, but this time his feet snagged on a stone, and he found himself in a position he'd often been  
in before - tumbling head over heels until he was lying flat on his back in the dust. The monster,  
seeing that it now had the advantage, closed in for the attack, grinning wolfishly.  
P*iHere it comes,/i* thought Skull despairingly, cringing. He was trapped. There was no way to  
escape, and now the monster was going to change him from a Dark Falcon to a cooked goose. If  
only he hadn't told Cedar to stay out of this . . .  
pSnap! The whip came down, and Skull felt a sharp sting in his side where the barbs bit through his  
protective suit - but that was all. The sparks fizzled out without striking anything that even  
resembled a fire, not even a whiff of smoke.  
p"What the . . . ?" the monster wondered, staring accusingly at his whip. "What's going on? Why  
didn't it work?"  
pFor a moment, Skull was a little confused about that himself. Then he thought, *iWell, of course. I  
AM the Firebird's warrior - of course the suit is fireproof!/i*  
pIn frustration, the monster began slashing at his enemy, relying just on the fierce barbs on the whip  
to do his evil work. Skull felt the first lash and cringed, but he recovered quickly and managed to  
roll out of the way when the second strike hit. On the third lash, he actually reached out and let the  
whip wrap itself around his wrist, and then he grabbed and yanked.  
The monster hadn't expected that move at all, and he went sprawling headlong in the street. While  
he was still thus incapacitated, Skull scrambled to his feet and brandished the weapon he'd  
appropriated.   
p"Okay, sparky, let's see how iyou/i like it," he said, and cracked the whip at the monster's posterior.  
p"Yipes!" squawked the monster. He leaped to his feet and ran ineffectually in circles, trying vainly  
to fan out the fire as it trailed plumes of smoke behind him. Finally, realizing that he was going to  
have to have help if he wanted to prevent burning to death, he shouted, "I'll get you for this, Dark  
Falcon! I'll be back!" He disappeared in a cloud of blue fire and smoke.   
pFor a moment, Skull studied the whip thoughtfully. Then he touched both of its ends together and  
watched it set itself on fire, letting it burn itself into a pile of foul-smelling ashes.  
p"Cool," he said. "I beat a monster all by myself! Maybe I really am a hero."   
He turned his gaze upwards to the top of a nearby building, just able to make out the moving glint  
of gold-pink light that was Cedar. It was time for the Dark Falcon to make an exit, and he still  
needed her help for that.  
p"Up, up, and away!" he exclaimed, and waited for her to come down and pick him up. It didn't  
happen. Louder, he repeated, "Up, up, and away!" There was still no response. Finally, in  
exasperation, he shouted, "Oh, come on! Would you give me some help already?"  
In response, Cedar swooped down and scooped him up roughly in her eagle-talons.  
p"Ow! That hurt!" he complained.  
p"Humph!" said Cedar.  
pAs soon as they were out of the sight of the city-folk, Cedar pitched him back into the street, so  
hard that he actually went skidding along through the dust, ploughing up a small furrow in the  
ground with his nose. He sat up dazedly and spat out a mouthful of sand, while all his injuries and  
sore muscles protested the rough treatment.  
p"What did you go and do that for?" he asked.  
pIn response, Cedar gave him an angry tirade. He didn't understand a word of it, because it was all  
in her native language and he had not yet been able to learn it, but judging by her tone, it was  
probably just as well. The only word he could make out was ikricheek/I, which was generally used  
to denote an idiot, an oaf, someone who couldn't be trusted to do anything right. He had heard the  
word over and over, and he'd had it applied to himself a few times, but never before by Cedar.   
p"Cedar, what are you talking about?" he asked, hurt.  
p"Figure it out if you're so smart," she shouted back. "Have fun being a hero, Eugene Skullovitch.  
You are perfectly welcome to do it without me!"  
pAnd she fluttered her wings so hard they stirred up a cloud of dust that made him choke. By the  
time he could see straight again, Cedar was already flying away, leaving him to walk home alone.  
P"Cedar, I'm sorry! What did I do?" he called after her, but he got no answer.  
pSkull sighed, and, with a couple of whispered words, changed back to his more natural form,  
battered and bruised and utterly dejected. He picked up the little effigy of the Firebird he wore  
around his neck and held it up so he could address it.  
P"This is all your fault," he told it. "And you know what? I'm tired of listening to you. I think it's  
time I found someone to talk to who knows what their doing."  
pHe sighed again and dropped the necklace. He didn't feel well, and it was a long walk home . . .  
and he knew he wasn't going to be very happy with what he found when he got there.   
pThe End . . . for now. 


	4. The Crow in the Iron Mast (part 2)

biDisclaimer:/b Skull, Lord Zedd, Goldar, and Zordon are the property of Saban. Everyone else is  
mine./i   
  
pcenterThe Crow in the Iron Mask - Part 2/center  
pcenterBy: SilvorMoon/center  
  
p To any outsider, it would have looked as if Lord Zedd's plan for destroying the world of  
Tien had gone badly awry. His monster had been singlehandedly driven off by the planet's  
fledgling hero, outsmarted and wounded by his own weapon. It appeared that the warlord was  
going to have to rethink his strategy.   
P Appearances could be so dreadfully deceiving.  
P Of course, Goldar had know way of knowing what was going on in his master's devious  
mind. He only knew that the warrior he had selected to battle the Dark Falcon had proved an  
abysmal failure, and that if he did not handle the situation carefully, he could very well be pinned  
with the blame for the outcome. That didn't worry him much. He'd had plenty of experience in  
dealing with matters such as these, and anyway, the monster in question was so ridiculously stupid  
it was unlikely that ianyone/i would be unable to see how its defeat had been its own fault.  
The armored primate had no sympathy whatsoever for his charge. He would be more than happy  
to hand the monster over to Lord Zedd for any kind of punishment as long as it meant he himself  
would get off the hook. He dragged the protesting monster to the great double doors of Zedd's  
throne room and shoved him through, giving him a vicious kick for good measure that sent the  
hapless creature skidding across the smooth floor toward the base of the dias where Zedd's  
throne rested. The monster winced; his backside was sore enough from being burned even  
without metal-plated feet booting him around. He cowered before his master, hardly daring to  
think what the punishment for his failure might be. Goldar sneered.  
P "Master, this pathetic creature has failed to complete your assignment for him," he said.  
"What are you going to do with him?"  
P Zedd leveled a cold stare at his general, and Goldar shrank back a little, sensing that  
somehow, he had made an error somewhere. That was confusing to him, but he refused to lose  
any more face by asking what the problem was. Zedd held his gaze just long enough to make his  
silent message clear, and then turned on the unfortunate monster.  
P "Who are you and why have you been brought to me?" he asked dangerously.  
P "P-p-p-please forgive me, m-m-m-master," stammered the monster. "I-I-I tried my best, I  
really did. That person, the Dark Falcon, he tricked me! It's n-n-n-not my f-f-f-fault!" The  
monster sounded close to tears. It trembled piteously on the floor.  
P "Of course it's not your fault," Zedd replied, shocking Goldar with his sympathetic tone.  
"It wasn't fair of that Dark Falcon to fool you like that, was it? You couldn't be expected to win  
an unfair fight."  
P "You're not angry at me?" asked the monster in amazement.  
P "Of course I'm not angry with you! How could I be angry? After all, if it really wasn't  
your fault, I can't blame you for it. As a matter of fact, just to show you how much faith I have in  
you, I'm going to give you another chance."  
P "Oh, thank you!" said the monster joyfully. "You can count on me, Lord Zedd! I'll get it  
right this time."  
P Zedd smiled. "I'm sure you will."  
P As the monster vanished in a blink of blue light, Goldar turned to stare at his master in  
amazement.  
P "I don't understand," he said. "Why are you rewarding him for failing you?"  
P "That wasn't a reward," answered Zedd, smiling icily. "That was punishment. When the  
time comes, he will be destroyed, and it won't be the Dark Falcon who destroys him."  
Pcenter~*~/center  
P Skull returned home in a foul mood. He hadn't been so thoroughly annoyed with anyone  
for a long time, if ever, and someone was going to pay for it. As fate would have it, that particular  
someone was waiting for him at the door.  
p "bOh, hello, Eugene,/b" said the Firebird lightly. "bDid you have fun fighting the -  
urk!/b"  
P The fire entity's speech was abruptly ended by an unmelodious squawk as Skull closed his  
hand around the Firebird's throat. Firebird fluttered around wildly, releasing a small shower of  
flaming feathers that burned themselves out before they touched the ground.   
P "bLet me go! Let me go this instant!/b" Firebird commanded.  
P "First you listen," Skull replied. "I did what you told me to do, and now Cedar's mad at  
me, and it's all your fault. I'm not letting you go until you promise to explain all this and  
apologize to her."  
P "bI'll do no such thing. It's not my fault if you misinterpreted perfectly good ad.../b"  
He trailed off as Skull tightened his grip. He turned up the heat of his feathers a little, not enough  
to burn, but enough to be painful, as a warning. Skull did not relinquish his grip. The two stared  
at each other for a moment.  
P "bI could burn your hand off if I wanted to,/b" Firebird warned.  
P "bI could wring your neck if I wanted to,/b" answered Skull.  
P "bEr, um, yes,/b" said Firebird, deflating. "bNo need to be so cross. I'm only  
trying to help. I don't understand why you have to be so violent about it. All right, I'll apologize  
to your friend if it will make you happy. Now, let go of me!/b"  
P Skull relinquished the Firebird, who spent the next few moments grooming the feathers on  
his neck, muttering to himself about humans with dirty hands and people with no manners.   
P "I'm waiting," Skull said impatiently.  
P "bOh, all right. I'll go look for her,/b" answered Firebird. "bJust wait here. I'll be  
back in a flash./b" The Firebird spun in midair and soared through an open window into the  
house.  
P Skull sighed and leaned back against the doorframe, rubbing at the slightly scorched hand  
that had been holding the Firebird. He wasn't sure he'd ever stood up to anyone like that before,  
especially someone as powerful as the Firebird. The thought that he could hold his own against  
someone like that made him feel pretty good. And once Firebird apologized to Cedar, she would  
forgive him, and everything could be okay again...  
P Firebird reappeared and settled on the branch of a nearby tree.  
P "Did you talk to Cedar?" asked Skull.  
P Firebird approximated a shrug. "bI couldn't. She isn't here./b"   
pcenter~*~/center  
P Chaos seemed to be the order of the day, as the creature who called himself Firestrike  
reappeared downtown. He wasn't striking any fires now, however, which rankled him a bit.  
Despite his bold words to the Dark Falcon earlier that day, the fire-making spell was not tied to  
him, but to his enchanted whip - a good thing, since he might have been burned to a crisp himself  
if the weapon had not been disposed of. Now he was making do with a pair of gleaming  
shortswords, but just the presence of a rampaging monster on main street was having the desired  
effect. Terrified citizens ran from him in feathered streams, giving shrieks of avian terror as he  
perused them.   
P However, the results brought on by the second attack were nowhere near a impressive as  
they had been the first time around. For one thing, there was no denying that a monster who lit  
unquenchable fires was a good deal more impressive than a monster who could not. Also, most of  
the people in that part of the city had taken themselves to safer places, and causing terror and  
chaos was much more difficult when there were fewer people to terrify. That might have been the  
reason why Cedar was a bit slow in noticing the danger.  
P After taking her angered leave of her erstwhile companion, Cedar had flown to a secluded  
roost atop a seldom-used building near the edge of the business district, where she could be alone  
with her unhappiness. She curled herself into a dejected ball of feathers and sobbed out her  
disappointment. All this time, she had thought Eugene was her friend! That obviously wasn't the  
case anymore. He didn't need her, he didn't want her around. It was just like the townspeople had  
said: the Dark Falcon was the hero, and she was only there for the sake of convenience. The only  
thing she was needed for was to make her "partner" look better. Well, she wasn't going to stand  
for it! If he didn't want her, fine. She'd let him have his way. He could handle this hero business all  
by himself if he wanted to. He could blow himself up for all she cared. She wouldn't mind one bit.  
She buried her head under her wing and cheeped miserably  
into her feathers.   
P She didn't know how long she had been like that before she became aware of a commotion  
going on below her. Blinking her eyes, trying to clear the tears from her vision, she peered down  
from her hiding place at the turmoil below.  
P "Him again," she muttered. "Vat rrrotten timing. Vell, I'll fix his vagon."   
P So saying, she reached for the amber drop at her throat, but then she paused, thinking. On  
one hand, it was obvious that her so-called friend didn't want her involved in these fights anymore,  
and she was still angry enough to let him deal with what he'd asked for. On the other hand, her  
better nature reminded her, the people down there - her people, whom she'd sworn to protect -  
were in danger, and it went against her grain to sit by and do nothing when she knew she could  
help. If nothing else, maybe it would prove that she was good for something, after all. It was a  
chance to one-up the Dark Falcon, and that was good enough for her. Whispering the word of  
power, she shifted from her half-human shape to full Firebird form and swooped down on the  
monster below, screaming the ancient, wordless battle cry of all winged things.  
P To say the monster was taken by surprise was a bit of an understatement. One moment, he  
was happily causing havoc in the streets, and the next, his vision was full of blinding, burning  
wings. He scrabbled at his face, dropping his weapons in momentary panic, trying to protect his  
eyes from the wildly slashing claws of whatever had attacked him. After a few confused moments,  
the monster managed to get a grip on one of Cedar's wings and hurl her out of the way. She  
bounced unharmed from the canopy of a nearby vendor's stall and took to the air once again.  
P "What in the world are you?" asked Firestrike.  
P "I... I am your enemy. You need not know more than that," Cedar replied. Inwardly, she  
winced. It was one of the things that was stinging her: while the Dark Falcon could confidently  
call himself such, she had no name at all to give.  
P The monster seemed to consider this a moment before replying - he was definitely not the  
swiftest thinker Cedar had ever encountered.  
P "Well, I guess it doesn't matter much," he replied, stooping to retrieve his swords. "Since  
I'm here to level the city, you're gonna be a shiny feather-duster in a minute, anyway."  
P "We'll see about that," Cedar answered.  
P In an instant, Firestrike found himself trapped in the middle of what seemed to him to be  
an angry, shrieking, flaming tornado. Cedar didn't have any weapons other than her beak and  
talons, but those she used with all the skill and strength she had. The monster lashed out at her  
with his blades in retaliation. He clipped a few of the plumes from her trailing crest and tail, and  
the pinfeathers of one wing were shortened somewhat, but the swords were not his weapon of  
choice, and he was having trouble wielding them against something that moved so close and so  
quickly. He was starting to get dizzy from trying to follow her rapidly spiraling movements.  
Finally, in frustration, he threw down his weapons and began grabbing erratically at his flying  
attacker. By pure luck, he managed to catch hold of her crest feathers and hold her out in front of  
him, putting him well out of range from her claws and making it virtually impossible for her to use  
her beak. She cried out in pain and frustration as she struggled in vain to free herself.  
P "Now I gotcha," said the monster, grinning gleefully. "I don't know what kind of critter  
you are, but you're obviously no match for a powerful warrior like me. You know what I'm going  
to do with you? I'm going to bash your skull in, and then I'm going to take you back to Lord Zedd  
so he can have you stuffed and mounted! How do you like that, huh?"  
P "You let me go! You'll never get away with this!" Cedar shrieked. "The Dark Falcon will  
be here any minute, and he won't be happy when he sees this."  
P "I'm not afraid of the Dark Falcon," answered Firestrike. Now that the last battle was over  
and beginning to dim in his mind, he had begun to fancy that it was he who had driven off the  
Dark Falcon, instead of the other way around. "The Dark Falcon's nothing but a weird guy in a  
funny-looking suit, and iif/i he was brave enough to show his dumb face, I'd just take my  
swords and-"  
P He was interrupted in mid-threat as the chance suddenly availed itself for him to suit  
action to words. As he was speaking, a hail of glowing red laser bolts suddenly fell from the sky,  
all of them striking the monster and making him yelp in pain. In his shock, he lost his grip on his  
captive, and she immediately began fluttering away to a safer location. At the same time, the Dark  
Falcon himself dropped out of the blue, holding his Phoenix Phaser gun in one hand and looking  
angry.  
P "Okay, monster, let's get this straight," he said. "I am having a ireally/i bad day  
today. If you know what's good for you, you'll go away before I decide to take it out on you."  
P "And just where have you been?" Cedar demanded angrily. "If you had been just a few  
seconds later, this thing would have ikilled/i me! What took you so long?"  
P "I got here as fast as I could," Skull replied defensively. "It's not my fault it took so long."  
P "Sure, nothing is your fault, is it?" said Cedar acidly. "You're just perfect, aren't you?  
You're so much better than everyone else, and you don't need anyone else's help."  
P "Cedar, look, I'm sorry about what I said earlier-"  
P "Of course you say that now. Well, don't expect me to come crawling back to you like  
silly tame pet just because you make apologies," Cedar chirped angrily.   
P "But I really didn't mean it!" said Skull. "Honest, Cedar, it's the Firebird's fault! He was  
the one who told me to do it!"  
P "Blaming it on him won't do you any good," Cedar replied. "As far as I'm concerned, you  
and the Firebird can both - eek!"  
P Cedar's tirade was ended abruptly. The monster, who had gotten bored of listening to the  
argument, had decided that this was as good a time as any to renew his attack. A flash of his  
sword had sent Cedar tumbling to the earth with shooting pains running through her left wing.  
She lay dazed in the street, panting in agony.  
P "Okay, that tears it!" shouted Skull at the monster. "Let's see you pick on someone your  
own size!" He pressed the trigger on his laser that caused it to unfold into a gleaming sword and  
held his new weapon menacingly. The monster froze as he tried to contemplate this new threat  
and his chances of surviving it.   
P Seeing the coming confrontation, Cedar managed to get herself back on her feet and,  
amazingly, back into the air again.  
P "Oh, no you don't!" she shrieked. "Don't you think I can take care of myself? I'm not a  
fledgling, I'm a warrior, one of the Firebird's chosen! I'm just as good as you are! If you can take  
monsters alone, then so can I!"  
P "Cedar, don't do this! It's crazy!" called Skull. "We're supposed to be working together!"  
P "I see," Cedar answered. "I must let you fight alone, but you think I cannot fight alone! I  
won't take it!"  
P "Cedar, look out!" Skull cried.   
P It was too late. The monster made a second slash at her, clean and well-aimed. He was too  
close not to hit his mark, and Skull was too far away to do anything to stop it. There just wasn't  
enough time to react...  
P A bolt of lightning fell out of the sky, silver lightning that sent both the heroes and the  
villain flying in three different directions, and for a moment, the street was obscured by grey-white  
smoke. Then the smoke cleared, revealing a most remarkable figure.   
P It was the Dark Falcon, sort of. It was as if someone had looked at Tien's resident hero  
and redone the design to make him seem even more impressive. His costueme was in the same  
style as the Dark Falcon's, but it was done entirely in silver instead of black and trimmed in black  
instead of garish red and purple. A gleaming silver mask covered the upper half of a face that  
seemed eerily like and yet unlike Skull's. It had the same general shape and features, but there was  
a kind of stern bravery and knowledge where Skull showed fear and confusion. The newcomer  
had the same dark hair, shot through with glints of true silver that flashed in the bright Tienese  
sunlight. The form-fitting suit showed off a body that was hard and muscled. Next to him, the real  
Dark Falcon looked weak, foolish, and frightened - not to mention a bit dusty and bruised from  
being thrown abruptly to the ground. The stranger surveyed the scene, and then dashed directly to  
where the injured Cedar was still lying in the road.  
P "Are you all right?" he asked worriedly. His voice, at least, was not copied from Skull's. It  
was deep, powerful, and, Skull realized, vaguely familiar. Hearing it was triggering dim  
recollections that made him feel slightly uneasy.  
P "Who... who are you?" Cedar asked dazedly.  
P "I am called Ironhawk," answered the stranger. "Are you hurt, my lady?"  
P "I'll be all right," chirped Cedar weakly.   
P "You are brave," answered Ironhawk. "Don't worry; I'll see to it that this cretin is dealt  
with firmly. Hawk's Talon!"   
P In a flashy maneuver, he produced a gleaming curved sword, marked down the edges of  
the blade with twisting runic letters. The monster stared, transfixed in shock and fear as the  
silver-garbed hero charged at him, blade held high. A warrior with some experience behind him  
would have been able to snap himself out of his trance and run. Firestrike, however, didn't have  
any real experience with the art of war. He managed to utter one last scream before the enchanted  
blade struck him, and then he collapsed and exploded in a fountain of blue fire and smoke.  
Ironhawk casually sheathed his sword.  
P "Wow," said Skull, envious. He wished he could dispatch monsters with that kind of  
efficiency and style. "Thanks a lot. I owe you one."  
P "You owe me nothing. It is all part of my mission," answered Ironhawk, not quite turning  
to look at him. "Where the Dark Falcon goes, I must also go, and there lies my battle."  
P "Can you tell us who you are?" asked Skull. "I mean, what's your name? Are you one of  
the Aerials, or are you another outsider?"  
P "I have given you the only name I intend to give, for now. Later, you will learn more  
about me," answered Ironhawk. "But now, my work here is done. If you wish to speak with me  
further, meet me in the house at the southeast corner of the Thieves' Garden. I'll be waiting for  
you there. Farewell to both of you."  
P With those final words, Ironhawk took a running start, pumped his wings, and soared off  
into the sky. Skull was impressed. He had thought he had fairly well mastered using his wings, but  
he'd never been able to take off from ground level without Cedar's help. Glancing in Cedar's  
direction, he felt a further stab of envy; it seemed that she was impressed with this newcomer, too.  
P "Now, that is ireal/i hero," she said. "At least he has manners. Not like some people."  
P "How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Skull replied. "I goofed up big time and I  
know it, okay? I'm sorry, and I'll never do it again, so could we please stop fighting about it?"  
P "You shouldn't have done it in the first place," said Cedar, unwilling to be placated.  
"Perhaps I will go have words with Ironhawk. Maybe he needs partner."  
P "You can't do that!" Skull protested. "Didn't you hear what he said? He's going to be  
hanging out in the Thieves' Garden. You told me that place is dangerous."  
P "Don't you think I can take care of myself?" Cedar's tone was challenging.  
P "Well, yeah - I mean, no - I mean... do you really think it's worth the risk?" asked Skull.  
He was honestly worried for the safety of his friend. Not only Cedar, but Hemlock, Poplar, and  
others had warned him against wandering into the Thieves' Garden. He had heard whispered tales  
in the public areas about how people would sometimes wander into that part of town and come  
out without even their clothes, or, worse yet, never come out at all. It had been a bit of a slum  
before the war, but since the Aerials had become too involved with the universal war to bother  
with internal improvements, it had degenerated into a hotbed of criminal activity. Why someone  
like Ironhawk would be hanging around the Thieves' Garden was too much for Skull to  
understand... unless there was something funny going on, and he didn't care for that idea one bit.   
P Cedar was too wrapped up in her own outrage to think much about it.   
P "You just don't think I can do it," she said. "You don't think I can get by without someone  
helping me. Well, it's not true! I can do just fine without you, so there!" With a flutter of wings,  
she took off on a painful flight in the direction of the Thieves' Garden.  
P Skull sighed and took a look around. No citizens, no monsters, no reason why he couldn't  
exchange his disguise for his more ordinary human form, so he flashed back to his usual  
appearance. It didn't look like he was going to be able to depend on having Cedar to fly him home  
from now on. Maybe he'd have to practice taking off like Ironhawk did, but right now he was too  
physically exhausted and mentally drained to even consider the idea. If it was a choice between  
trying to take off alone and walking, he would walk.  
P While he walked, he forced himself to engage in an activity he usually avoided if he  
possibly could: thinking. Just where had he gone wrong here? What had been his fatal mistake?  
Well, that was easy enough to figure out. The problem had started when he'd taken the Firebird's  
crazy advice about trying to do things all by himself. He knew all along that it was the wrong  
thing to do, but he'd done it anyway because he'd figured that the bird probably had to be smarter  
than he was and would naturally know the best thing to do. This would be the last time Skull  
would make that mistake, he promised himself. Finally, it seemed he'd found someone with less  
sense than he had - but at least Skull was honest about it. Firebird, if he was accused of making a  
mistake, would hem and haw and try to talk his way out of the accusation. At least Skull was  
willing to admit he was in the wrong on this issue and ready to not make the same mistake twice.  
The real question was, how would he get himself out of this mess?  
P Wandering down the streets of the city, Skull came upon a small group of fledglings  
playing games in the street. The manner of game they were playing was interesting enough to  
make Skull stop and listen in on their childish arguments.  
P "Let's play monster battles!" cried a rusty-feathered Aerial boy.  
P "Yeah!" cheered a grey-plumed one. "Can I be the Dark Falcon? You can be that bird who  
helps him."  
P "I don't want to be the bird," said the first boy. "Make someone else be the bird. I want to  
be the monster!"  
P A squabble ensued. Skull stared, mildly shocked, as comprehension dawned on him. So,  
ithis/i was the problem, the trouble behind the trouble. It wasn't just Skull's mistake that was  
making Cedar unhappy. She was angry because even the youngest children treated her with scorn,  
because she was a thing without a name that only seemed to exist to help the Dark Falcon. They  
had more respect for the monster than for her! Now, it seemed, someone had appeared who might  
treat her with the respect she deserved, and so she was going to him, no matter what the risks  
might be.   
P Skull felt awful. How could he have been so insensitive? Didn't he know what she was  
going through? All his life, hadn't he lived as someone else's sidekick? He had lived as another  
person's shadow, and now that he was out of Bulk's influence, here he was giving the very same  
treatment to the best friend he had.   
P *iI've got to do something about this,/i* he thought determinedly. *iSomehow,  
I'm going to find a way to make this right./i*  
P But how would he do it? He was at a loss for ideas. He racked his brain, but it wasn't used  
to such strenuous work, and he just couldn't seem to find the inspiration he needed. This, he  
thought grimly, was why he had never bothered much with thinking in the past - it was just too  
much work. Too bad he needed to be able to do it now...  
P Suddenly, his eye was caught by something in a shop window. It was a store that sold  
trinkets, inexpensive jewelry, and other knickknacks. A number of them were arranged in a  
glittering display in an effort to lure in curious customers, but there was one object out of the  
crowd that held Skull's gaze. He didn't have any money at the moment, but that didn't matter  
much to him. He could get credit on Hemlock's name if he really needed to, and this was more  
important than any trouble incurring such a debt might cause for him. He went inside to have a  
quick talk with the manager, and emerged moments later with a small brown box tucked  
inconspicuously under his arm. Now all he needed to do was find Cedar.  
P He returned to his place of residence, fostering a dim hope that perhaps Cedar had  
reconsidered and decided not to go to the Thieves' Garden, after all. Even if she was angry right  
now, she still wasn't that foolish... was she? Skull certainly hoped so. Toying worriedly with his  
Firebird amulet with one hand and gripping his new purchase in the other, he walked up the front  
steps of Cedar's home, pausing to greet the Firebird, who was still sitting on the porch railing.  
P "bThat didn't take long,/b," Firebird commented, sounding a few degrees more polite  
than usual. Though Skull had no way of knowing, it had been thousands of years since anyone  
had stood up to the Firebird, much less threatened him with any kind of physical violence, and it  
had earned him some respect from the flaming bird, if only temporarily.  
P "Well, we kinda had help," Skull replied. "Did Cedar come home? I've got something for  
her."  
P "bNo, I haven't seen her all day,/b" answered Firebird. "bIs she really all that  
upset?/b"  
P "Worse," Skull replied. "You know, you really are gonna have to apologize to her. What's  
the big idea of giving her powers if you didn't want her to help me, huh?"  
P "bI don't know,/b" said the Firebird, ruffling his feathers and looking sheepish. "bI  
was never any good at understanding women, anyway. If I had been, I never would have gotten  
trapped in that silly stone in the first place./b"  
P "Really? asked Skull curiously.  
P Firebird shrugged. "bIt was my ex-wife's idea. Powerful sorceress, beautiful women,  
dreadful temper./b"  
P "Uh, yeah," Skull replied. "I hope Cedar comes back soon. She said she was going to look  
for that other guy."  
P "bWhat iother guy/i?/b" asked the Firebird, suddenly looking worried.   
P "I dunno, just some guy who showed up," said Skull. "He said his name was Ironhawk,  
and he looked kinda like me... like the Dark Falcon, only he was all in silver. He blew up the  
monster for us."  
P "bPreposterous,/b" said the Firebird. "bThere is only one Dark Falcon, and you  
are him. If there was another force like that around here, I would know about it./b"  
P "Well, isomebody/i came and destroyed the monster," Skull maintained, "and that's  
who Cedar's gone to see."  
P "bHmm. This could be serious,/b" the Firebird replied, sounding concerned. "bLet  
me check something./b" He closed his eyes a moment and was very still. Skull fidgeted  
uncomfortably as long seconds slipped by. Finally, the bird came out of his trance and gave Skull  
a hard stare.  
P "Well?" asked Skull, worried.  
P "bAre you absolutely sure the monster was destroyed?/b" asked the Firebird.  
P Skull nodded. "I saw it. He went up in blue flames. Blam!" He made an explosive gesture  
with his hands.  
P "bI was afraid you'd say that,/b" Firebird replied. "bI don't know what it is, but  
there is still something out there. It is something powerful... something evil./b"  
pcenter~*~/center  
P Cedar soared high over the far edges of the city, shining like the setting sun that was  
gradually making its way eastward. She was nervous. Below, a set of boxy buildings and narrow  
streets laid out the checkerboard pattern of that part of town called the Thieves' Garden,  
shadowed now in the waning light of evening. She circled them warily, suddenly not at all certain  
she really wanted to go there. All kinds of ugly rumors had always been circulated about that  
particular area, and they had only been growing worse with the growing intensity of the war and  
the resulting laxity of the law. Cedar had often overheard her father discussing how he planned to  
sent people in to clear that place out once and for all, but he had been far too distracted lately to  
deal with such troubles. The appearance of the Dark Falcon had made Tien itself a safer place, but  
that only meant that Hemlock was free to send his warriors back to Zordon's assistance with the  
major part of the war, and that left little energy for the Aerial mage to worry about such a  
relatively minor problem as the local den of thieves. Now Cedar felt apprehensive about visiting it,  
especially with night coming on. She wondered if it might not be best to go home and try again in  
the morning. She would feel a lot safer coming here in the daytime, especially if she could  
convince Eugene to come with her...  
P *iHe is probably angry at me,/i* she thought ruefully. *iFoolish bird, losing your  
temper. He did apologize to you. He is sorry. You know he makes these mistakes sometimes.  
Would be best to forgive him./i*  
P She sighed a little. It had not been fair of her to shout at her friend like that. It wasn't  
entirely his fault. He was so uncomfortable with the responsibilities he had. Perhaps he had really  
needed a chance to prove to himself that he was really up to the task. And if the Firebird had  
instructed him to do it, then naturally, Eugene would. Cedar felt a twinge of remorse for the  
accusations she had leveled at her friend, the harsh words about thinking he was better than  
everyone else. She knew that wasn't true. Quite the contrary - he was so self-effacing, he would  
rather do anything someone else told him to do than believe he had a good idea of his own.   
P *iI will apologize to him,/i* Cedar decided. *iBut... maybe later. I do want to see  
who this Ironhawk is. I will be safe here if he is with me./i*  
P Cedar swooped down and landed on the roof of one of the largest ramshackle buildings  
that stood - if the term was used loosely - in the Thieves' Garden. All of the buildings in this part  
of her world were built of stone, but these were so old and so badly constructed that their walls  
and roofs were beginning to sag and bulge, threatening to fall over if someone leaned on them too  
heavily. This one, like most others, had a flat roof designed for convenient landings with a stone  
railing around it for safety, and an inconspicuous trapdoor in one corner that presumably led to  
the lower parts of the building. The dark streets seemed to be empty, but Cedar didn't trust her  
judgement very much on that issue. Her night vision was not good, not even as good as her  
human friend's would have been, and she knew that any thieves and vagabonds that might be  
lurking about would be well hidden. She was just wondering how she was supposed to find  
Ironhawk in this gloomy place when a shadow glided over her with a barely audible  
iwhoosh/i. In the next instant, Ironhawk himself dropped out of the sky and landed lightly  
next to her.   
P "There you are," he said. "I was wondering when you would come."  
P "I was a little nervous," she explained. "Father says this place is not very safe."  
P "Don't worry," said Ironhawk soothingly. "No one here is going to bother us. I'll make  
sure of it. I took some precautions, you see - I knew you would be coming alone."  
P "How?" asked Cedar, puzzled.   
P "Because," Ironhawk explained patiently, "I knew you were angry at the Dark Falcon. I  
could feel it before I even knew where you were. It's a sixth sense of mine, to know when people  
are angry and afraid. I felt the grip of anger upon you, and now... now, I will take advantage of  
it."  
P In an unnaturally fast movement, his hand shot out at her, reaching for her heart. Cedar  
screamed in surprise and pain, and there was an explosion of white lights that sent them both  
flying in opposite directions. Cedar, more comfortable with her wings and relatively unscathed by  
the blast, managed to keep herself from being hurt in the tumble. Ironhawk was pitched against  
the railing that ran around the roof of the building, knocking a few bricks loose. He hissed in  
something that sounded more like anger than pain.  
P "So!" he snarled. "I should have expected this from a ihero/i. You've forgiven him  
already, is that it? Weak, pathetic creature!"   
p Cedar stared at him in increasing fear. There was something not quite right about his voice  
all of a sudden. The deep tones were still there, but they were overcast by what sounded eerily  
like a second voice, one that hissed dryly, like the ghost of a serpent. The feathers on the back of  
Cedar's neck rose, and her amber eyes widened.  
P "What are you?" she demanded.  
P Ironhawk got up and laughed. He didn't even seem to be hurt at all by the explosion.   
P "I am an Eccubus," said the hissing voice. "My host, at the moment, is an Aerial I  
snatched from the streets earlier this morning. I was hoping I might be able to take you next, but I  
don't think we're suited for each other. Still, there are other things I can do to you..."  
P "If you do anything to me, the Dark Falcon will destroy you for it!" Cedar chirped.  
P Ironhawk - or the Eccubus - or whatever he was - grinned villainously.  
P "He can't. I'd love to see him try it! I ilive/i off of acts of vengeance. Anger, hatred,  
fear, and greed are my lifeblood. The minute he goes over to anger, he's mine. Think about that  
while I mangle you, my pretty bird."  
P "It will never work," said Cedar, trying to believe in what she was saying. "His heart is  
good, and you'll never take it."  
P "We'll see," answered the Eccubus casually. He abruptly glanced up at the sky in surprise.  
"Well, how delightful! Here he comes now!"  
P Cedar glanced up at the sky and was just able to make out a dark shadow skimming across  
the sky. The Dark Falcon was on his way! Cedar stirred, trying to recover herself enough to  
become airborne and join him, but the Eccubus kicked her sharply, adding yet another jolt of pain  
to her earlier injuries. It might have been possible for her to fight, but not if her enemy could keep  
her on the ground.   
P Skull made a surprisingly coordinated landing and flipped his wings out of the way,  
readying his laser and glaring at the Eccubus.  
p "What have you done to her?" he demanded.  
p "Nothing... yet," the Eccubus replied. "I'm not after her. I'm after you... and I've got you,  
too. Prepare to be destroyed, hero."  
P "Not a chance," answered Skull. To back up his words, he pulled the trigger on his gun  
and fired a set of rapid blasts at the Eccubus. The lights struck him as if they were no more than  
that - just harmless lights. He stood there grinning, a warped expression that it didn't seem like it  
should be possible for a human to created.  
P "You see?" he laughed. "I'm immune to your weapons. The only way you could possibly  
defeat me is in hand-to-hand combat. Want to try?"  
P "No, don't!" Cedar shouted. "He's trying to trap you!"  
P "I've got to do something," answered Skull. He pressed the trigger that transformed his  
pistol into a sword. "I'm ready."  
P The Eccubus sprang at Skull, using his silver wings to gain extra altitude, but Skull  
dodged and slashed at the oncoming creature. It winced and grunted, but it didn't seem to be  
badly hurt. It produced a weapon of its own, the gleaming silver sword it had used earlier, and  
Skull quickly found himself put on the defensive. He was a little worried; he'd never actually been  
in a swordfight before. Fortunately, his Dark Falcon instincts took over, and he watched with an  
amazed detachment as his hands directed the blade to slash and cut and parry. Still, his adversary  
was incredibly fast and strong, and he wasn't sure how long he could defend himself against the  
onslaught of attacks.  
P Meanwhile, Cedar was struggling to collect herself. She had been injured by the fire-  
monster earlier that day, and the Eccubus hadn't helped much by kicking her, but that didn't  
matter a whole lot to her. What mattered now that her friend was in danger, danger he might not  
have been in if it hadn't been for her misguided anger, and now she was going to do something  
about it. With a victorious shriek, she rose up into the air like a Phoenix from its bed of ashes and  
dove at the Eccubus.  
P She just barely missed being impaled by Skull's sword - he was so wrapped up in trying to  
keep himself from being skewered, he hadn't been able to notice Cedar. He backed off just in  
time, and Cedar proceeded with an attack of her own, momentarily blinding the Eccubus with her  
flaming wings.   
P "Get him now, while he's busy!" she shouted.  
P Skull nodded and raised his sword, looking for a clear shot. Taking careful aim, he swung  
the sword as hard as he could, driving it for the creature's heart. He felt it connect, heard an  
unearthly wail of pain, and then...  
P For the second time that night, there was a tremendous explosion, as the rooftop was  
suddenly lit by what seemed to be millions of red and blue sparkles. Skull blinked, momentarily  
blinded - even though the sparks vanished almost instantly, there were still a bunch of green after-  
images dancing around in front of his eyes. He rubbed at them, and then tried to look around.  
Cedar was safe, hovering near the place where his opponent had been a moment ago. Now,  
instead of a man in silver armor, there was only a young male Aerial dressed in black lying  
unconscious on the ground next to what looked like a rusty iron mask. It looked like this was the  
end of Ironhawk. Skull began to give a sigh of relief.   
P Then he noticed an extraordinarily large, black, ugly thing grinning maliciously at him, and  
the breath caught in his throat.  
P The Eccubus had undergone a few changes since his appearance on Tien, none for the  
better. He was separated from his Aerial host now, but he had been draining energy from him for  
the last few hours, and the resulting metamorphosis was dramatic. He was no longer a tottering  
stick figure, but a hulking giant with bulging muscles and clawed hands. A mouth full of gleaming  
sliver teeth was stretched in a hideous mockery of a smile, and a slanted pair of blood red eyes  
glowed menacingly.  
P "Ohhhhh, boy," said Skull shakily. "I think I'm in for it now."  
P "You couldn't be more right, hero," the thing hissed. "Nothing can stop me now that I'm  
at full strength - not you, not your pet bird, not anyone."  
P "Cedar," Skull replied. "Is not my pet. She's my partner, and we ican/i stop you. So  
there."  
P "Don't be ridiculous," the creature scoffed. "No one has ever found a way to destroy an  
Eccubus. I don't think a foolish human like you will be the first. That being the case," it added  
thoughtfully, "I think I may let you live, for now. I can't steal energy from someone as pure-  
hearted as you two, and you'll be too much trouble to eat. I will destroy your city first, and then  
perhaps I'll come back for you. Goodbye."  
P The Eccubus abruptly turned and leaped from the top of the four-storey building, landing  
lightly in the street, and then bounding away at a speed surprising for its size. Cedar and Skull  
looked at each other in amazement.  
P "Uh, Cedar," said Skull, "what's an Eccubus?"  
P "I don't know," Cedar replied, "but my father will. Come on. I'll carry you home... if  
you're not angry at me."  
P "I'm not angry," answered Skull. "I know how you felt, and I'm sorry I was mean to you.  
No hard feelings?"  
P "None," Cedar replied, half-opening her beak in an avian grin.  
P Their conversation was interrupted by a low moan, and they both turned to look at the  
man who had recently been hosting the Eccubus. Now that the excitement was over, Skull  
recognized him as Obsidain, the leader of the punks who had beaten him up early that morning.  
He was twitching uncomfortably, his face contorted in pain.   
P "He doesn't look so good," Skull remarked. "Do you think your dad will know how to  
take care of him?"  
P "I don't know, but we can find out."  
P "Okay," said Skull. "How about you carry him back to your place, and I'll fly myself back.  
Then you can talk to Hemlock and I can talk to the Firebird, and maybe if we're lucky we can get  
this all straightened out before something ielse/i happens."  
P Cedar nodded and went to collect the semi-conscious Obsidian while Skull prepared to  
jump from the roof. Within moments, the winds of evening were carrying all three across the sky.  
pcenter~*~/center  
P Some time later, Cedar and Poplar were in the parlor, tending to Obsidian, who was  
stretched out on the sofa. He was a bit feverish, but not visibly hurt, and so it was decided that  
probably the only thing that could be done for him was to let him rest in peace. The two female  
Aerials kept a constant vigil, cooling his forehead with a damp cloth.  
P Meanwhile, Skull had discovered that the Firebird had vanished again. Muttering  
uncomplimentary things about it, he went in search of Hemlock. He found the wizard in the same  
place he usually was, which was in his study, poring over dusty old books. The door was ajar, so  
Skull only rapped politely on it before letting himself in.  
P "Good evening, Eugene," said Hemlock with distracted politeness, hardly glancing up  
from his book. "Vat brings you herrre?"  
P "Hemlock, what's an Eccubus?" asked Skull.  
P Hemlock looked up from his book then. He turned and stared at Skull with amazement  
and a little fear in his eyes.  
P "Vhere did you hear that vorrrd?" he asked.  
P "There's one of them running around downtown," Skull replied. "It got some guy. Poplar  
and Cedar are taking care of him now, but he doesn't look so good, and I thought maybe you  
might know-"  
P "There's an Eccubus ihere/i?" asked Hemlock in horror. "This is bad. This is  
extrrremely bad. Vat arrre ve going to do?"  
P "I don't know," said Skull. "What iis/i an Eccubus? Why are you so worried about  
it?"  
P "Eccubi are deadly creatures," said Hemlock seriously. "Von of them can level a whole  
city with no trrrouble at all. They steal power frrrom varrrrious sourrrces to make themselves  
strrronger - especially power in the form of strrrong negative emotions. No von has ever found a  
vay to destrrroy one. They are far too strrrong to be attacked physically, and they steal the power  
frrrom any kind of magical attack to feed themselves."  
P "Um," said Skull. "You mean this thing is invincible?"  
P "Forrr all prrractical purposes, yes," Hemlock answered. "They usually die rather qvickly,  
but they can do incrrredible amounts of damage before that happens."  
P "Well, somebody's got to find a way to get rid of this one before it eats all of us!" Skull  
exclaimed.  
P "I know of no vay to do that," said Hemlock, shaking his head. "I vill have to trrrust in the  
Firebird's varriors to prrrotect us."  
P "Well... that might not be such a good idea," Skull replied nervously. "See, Hemlock... I  
don't really know how to say this, but, well, the Dark Falcon... he's me."  
P To Hemlock's credit, he did not look surprised. He gave no indication of skepticism. He  
simply sat and stared at Skull a long time, making the human fidget.   
P "Vell," he said. "That explains a few things. Vell, Eugene, I vill help you as much as I can,  
but I do not know vat I can do."  
P "Just tell me everything you can about this Eccubus critter," Skull replied.   
P Hemlock nodded. "Fine. Hand me that book over therrre, the von vith the blue cover. Ve  
can start vith that von."  
P Skull handed him the book, and then stood by as he watched the wizard flip through the  
pages and begin to read slowly through the yellowed pages. It was going to be a long night.  
pcenter~*~/center  
P Nearly an hour later, Hemlock closed a book and added it to the pile that he had already  
searched through, and Skull sighed. It felt like they had searched through half the books in the  
mage's library, yet they were no closer to finding any answers than they had been when they  
started.  
P "This is crazy," said Skull in frustration. "I can't just sit here all night digging through old  
books."  
P "You can't go out looking for that Eccubus vithout a plan," said Hemlock sternly.  
P "Maybe I can't, but this isn't doing any good," Skull replied. "I'm not going to sit here  
while that monster destroys the whole city. I've got to do isomething/i." He turned and  
started for the door.  
P "Vhere are you going?" asked Hemlock worriedly. "Crrrazy human, you're going to get  
yourself killed."  
P "I don't even want to think about it," Skull replied, and he left the room.  
P Heading for the front door, he passed by the parlor where Cedar and Poplar were  
attending their patient.  
P "Eugene? What's going on?" asked Cedar.  
P "We're going to go look for the monster," he replied. "Or at least, I am. Do you want to  
come?"  
p "Did Father find some way to get rid of it?" Cedar asked hopefully.   
P "No," Skull replied. "I'm going to try to fight it anyway."  
P "In that case, I'm coming," Cedar replied.  
P "What do you mean, you're going to fight a monster?" asked Poplar in shock. "What are  
you talking about? What's going on?"  
P "Ask Hemlock. We've got to go," Skull replied. He and Cedar hurried out into the street,  
leaving a very worried pair of Aerials behind.  
pcenter~*~/center  
P Hunting for monsters at night was not an especially fun job. Trying to fly at night was bad  
enough, even with Cedar lighting the way somewhat. Skull's night vision was better than Cedar's,  
but even he wasn't very well suited for hunting for a black monster in the dark. All he had to go  
on was the Dark Falcon's sixth sense that told him that something nearby was not as it should be.   
P "Look down there," said Cedar, pointing with her beak. "What's that?"  
P Skull looked in the direction she was indicating and made out movements - several small  
shapes that seemed to be retreating from a much larger dark shape.   
P "That could be it," Skull agreed. "Let's check it out."  
P They swooped lower, skimming at about roof level above the street. Now they could see  
for certain that this was definitely the Eccubus. Skull felt a sinking sensation just looking at it - it  
seemed to have grown even larger and more menacing since he had last seen it, and its red eyes  
were now flaming orange and glowing like hot coals. He reached for his laser and fired a few  
shots at it, hoping to at least stun the creature, but it didn't seem to have any effect whatsoever.  
The Eccubus turned to stare at him and hissed, flicking a snakelike tongue between double rows  
of sharp teeth.   
P "You again!" it growled. "Are you going to insist on making a nuisance of yourself? Go  
away before I decide to shred you."  
P "I'm not letting you destroy my city!" said Skull, trying to sound braver than he felt.  
Compared to this thing, the monster he had battled that morning looked tame as a kitten.  
P "Let? What makes you think you can stop me?" laughed the Eccubus. "Nothing can stop  
me now! You hear? Nothing!"  
P It hunched itself up, looking for a moment like a huge, grotesque toad, before springing  
high into the air and ramming straight into the startled Dark Falcon. They spun head over heels in  
midair for a crazy instant before slamming back into the street, and Skull got the wind knocked  
out of him as the large and proportionally heavy monster landed on top of him. It raked its claws  
across Skull's chest twice, causing searing pains, before Skull managed to pull a shielding wing in  
front of him. Seeing her friend in trouble, Cedar dive-bombed the creature and slashed at it's  
unprotected back. It roared and jumped away for a moment, then turned and swatted at Cedar as  
if she were nothing more than a fly, sending her spinning into the side of a building. Dizzily, Skull  
pulled himself into a semi-crouch, forcing himself to think, to plan. There just had to be some way  
of defeating this creature.   
P Somewhere in the back of his head, a lightbulb was flickering dimly, and he pursued it. All  
of Hemlock's books had said more or less the same thing about Eccubi. Normally, they were  
fairly weak creatures who did their best to stay out of sight, unless they could manage to find a  
host to feed off of. Once they drew enough power from their hosts, they would go on a rampage,  
destroying everything in their path until they eventually died. Why? Why did such evidently  
powerful things expire at the peak of their strength?   
P Skull stood for a moment, waiting for the answer to come clear, watching the Eccubus  
looming closer, its jaws gaping wide as it moved in to bite his head off, it's eyes glowing with the  
power it had stored. Suddenly, the idea flashed into his mind, neat and complete and perfect. But  
would it work?  
P "One way to find out," Skull muttered to himself. Out came the pistol again, and he took  
careful aim and pulled the trigger, sending a steady beam of red energy straight into the monster's  
open mouth.   
P The beam didn't even faze it. The Eccubus absorbed it, just as he absorbed the other  
shots. Undaunted, Skull continued firing, and the creature laughed.   
P "Foolish human!" it roared. Its voice seemed to increase in depth and timbre even as it  
spoke. It seemed to be slowly growing as it absorbed the energy from the laser. "You think that  
little toy can hurt me? I cannot be harmed by your weapons! I am invincible!"  
P "What are you doing?" shouted Cedar. "You're just making it worse!"  
P Skull just ignored both of them and concentrated on keeping his beam steady, even as the  
Eccubus reached out one clawed hand and lifted him up off the ground. Cedar shrieked. The  
monster laughed. The laser began to grow warm from the strain, and it shot off a few sparks.  
p "No! Don't give out yet!" Skull muttered. "Just a little longer..."  
P "Forget it!" sneered the Eccubus. "I'm tired of toying with you, Dark Falcon. You're time  
has come! Prepare to - argh! What's going on?"   
P Something odd seemed to be happening to the Eccubus. Lines of light seemed to be  
making spiderwebbed paths across his dark skin, shimmering the same gold-orange as his eyes.  
Smoke began rising off of him.  
P "This can't be happening!" the creature shouted. "Nooooooo!"  
P The creature gave an earsplitting howl of pain, and then there was a tremendous explosion  
that briefly filled the street with golden light. Skull was pitched through the air, and he landed  
with a tooth-rattling thump in the middle of the dusty street. It was more than his battered body  
could take, and he blacked out.  
P He awoke moments later as he felt Cedar gently shaking him. He opened his eyes slowly  
and rubbed his aching head - or tried to; he was still holding his pistol in one hand. He stared at it  
in puzzlement for a moment until he remembered why he had it.  
P "What happened? Did it work?" he asked anxiously.  
P Cedar nodded. "You blew it up. I've never seen anything like it." She gestured with her  
wingtip, and Skull looked. There was a large, scorched crater that filled the entire street, sending  
char marks and cracks up the sides of nearby buildings.  
P "That's nice," said Skull tiredly. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep again, but  
Cedar wouldn't let him.  
P "How did you do it?" she asked. "I thought you said you couldn't destroy an Eccubus like  
that."  
P "Eccubi eat energy," said Skull, giving up on trying to sleep and sitting up instead.  
"Hemlock told me so. He also said that they always end up dying when they try to destroy a city.  
I just guessed that maybe it couldn't take but so much, like a balloon filling up with air. When it  
gets more than it can handle..." He trailed off and looked at the scorched spot. "I sure am glad  
he's gone. Can we go home now?"  
P "I think we can," Cedar replied.   
P Skull clambered to his feet and waited for Cedar to take her accustomed place on his  
shoulders. Spreading his wings, he rode up into the sky, heading for home and rest.  
pcenter~*~/center  
P When Skull and Cedar arrived back at the house, they found Poplar dutifully watching  
over the sleeping Obsidian. She looked up in surprise as they came in through the door.  
P "You're back!" she exclaimed. "Hemlock told me you had gone to fight the monster, and I  
thought that-"  
P "It's okay," Skull assured her. "Everything's all right now."  
P Cedar nodded. "Eugene made the monster explode."  
P "You found a vay to destrrroy an Eccubus?" asked a nearby voice. Hemlock came in from  
another room, his eyes alight with interest.  
P "Yeah. I'll tell you about it later," Skull promised. "How's Obsidian? Is he doing any  
better?"  
P "A little," said Poplar. "He vas moving just a little vhile ago. I think he vill vake up soon."  
P Just as she spoke, Obsidian moaned and began to stir. "Ow, my aching head. Wha'  
happened?"  
P "You were attacked by a monster," Cedar volunteered.  
P "We found you and brought you back here," added Skull. "Are you feeling okay? You've  
been out all evening."  
P "I think I'll be okay, once I..." Obsidian trailed off as he opened his eyes and saw Skull  
looking down at him. "Hey, you're that guy me and my friends trashed this morning! How come  
you bothered to rescue me?"  
P Skull shrugged. "I dunno. But I sure wasn't going to leave you to be eaten or something. I  
couldn't do that."  
P "Oh," said Obsidian. He closed his eyes and slumped back into the sofa cushions. "Thanks.  
Thanks a lot. And, um... I'm sorry about what happened earlier."  
P "Because we saved you?" asked Cedar skeptically.  
P "Kind of," said Obsidian, "but... I don't know. I just don't feel the same as I did this  
morning. I was angry then, and scared... that's all gone now."  
P Skull refrained from mentioning that the change was probably due in part to the monster's  
attack. It might not really make any difference.  
P "No problem," Skull replied.   
P Obsidian smiled. "Thanks. I really mean it. I'll make this up to you somehow."  
P "Don't mention it," said Skull. "Hey, I'll talk to you more later, okay? I just remembered  
there's something I wanted to do."  
P "He should be resting, anyvay," said Poplar sternly. "Sleep, young man. You can talk in  
the morning."  
P Obsidian didn't object - he really was tired. Skull beckoned to Cedar, and they slipped  
quietly out of the room.  
P "What's going on?" asked Cedar curiously, as she followed her friend back to his room.  
P "I've got something I want to show you," Skull replied. "It's a surprise!"  
P "Something good?" Cedar asked.  
P "Just wait and see."  
P Skull went into his room and picked up the parcel he had bought earlier. He held it out to  
Cedar.  
P "I bought you a present," he said.  
P Cedar took the box, carefully untying the strings and unfolding the paper. Opening the  
box, nestled among pieces of soft cloth, she found a small golden mask.   
P "What's this?" she asked, looking puzzled.  
P "That's for you," Skull replied. "I asked the Firebird about it, and he said he can tie it into  
your powers. Just to show everyone we're on equal footing... we also talked about giving you a  
name. Firebird suggested 'Gold Eagle.' How does that sound?"  
P Cedar beamed. "I think it sounds just right. Thank you, Eugene. You're sweet."  
P Leaning over, she kissed him quickly on the cheek. While Skull was still standing there in  
shock, she turned and ran down the hall laughing. Skull smiled and gave a small sigh of  
contentment. Being a hero, it seemed, was a lot of trouble... but sometimes, it was worth it.  
  
pThe End... for now.   



	5. The Direct Approach

ibDisclaimer:/b Skull, Lord Zedd, Goldar, Zordon, and Alpha are the property of Saban. The idea of  
the Dark Falcon and just about everything else in this story is mine./i   
  
PcenterThe Direct Approach/center  
pcenterBy: SilvorMoon/center  
  
p Afternoon sunlight flashed off of the shiny wings of a meandering beetle as it charted an  
erratic course through the warm, herb-scented air of a Tienese garden. It landed briefly on the  
hand of a young woman who was resting quietly in the shade of a spreading tree. She watched it  
with bright, curious amber eyes as it marched across her fingers one by one, fanning its blue and  
red spotted wings. Then it took off again, this time alighting on the nose of her companion, a  
dark-haired young man. He crossed his eyes to stare at it a moment, and then blew it away with a  
puff of air. Insulted, the beetle took off for more friendly territory.  
P It was high summer on Tien, and it seemed like the whole planet, or at least the capital  
city, was sleepy from the heat. No one had invented air conditioning yet, so the best that could be  
done was to enjoy the relative coolness of one of many shade trees planted in the city for just that  
purpose and sip water from wells that took their chill from the cold that lay far beneath the  
planet's surface. Being without any other immediate plans, that was just what Skull and Cedar  
were doing: just relaxing together, chatting or thinking according to their mood.  
p Skull was doing a surprising amount of the latter. He had been doing it more and more  
since he had come to Tien, and he was finding that it seemed to be a difficult habit to break. In a  
strange way, it disturbed him a little. He had a notion that it meant something, but he hadn't quite  
figured out what it could be yet. He couldn't let that trouble him much, though, not when there  
were so many more important things to deal with - the safety of the world, for example. That was  
one idea that never left his cranium for very long. If someone had come to him a month ago and  
told him that he would be relocating to an alien world approximately ten or twelve thousand years  
in the past, be given magical powers from a fire entity, and be expected to save a planet populated  
entirely by shape-shifting talking birds, he would have laughed aloud. But now, not only was he  
doing just that, but he actually seemed to be doing reasonably well at it. He wasn't dead yet,  
anyway. That was worth something.   
P Sometimes, though, he had to wonder just how long he was going to have to keep it up.  
He had formed a vague notion sometime early on that he was just a temporary stand-in, just a guy  
off the street who had been picked to do what he could until a ireal/i hero came along. Even  
though he was beginning to wonder if he'd been right about that, it was still more or less fixed in  
his mind that, sooner or later, he was going to have to leave. The war would be over eventually,  
and then there would be no more need for the Dark Falcon, so he would go on with his original  
plan to travel to Terra Venture to be reunited with his longtime friend Bulk. It would be good to  
see him again, and it would be nice to be back in the modern world where people had actually  
invented electricity. Still, on the other hand...  
P "What Eugene thinking about?" asked Cedar. "You look so far away."  
P "Just... remembering my old home," Skull replied. "Not that I don't like it here and all,  
but, well... you know."  
P "Yes," Cedar answered. "I know. I have known all along that this is not your home, and  
someday you will have to go back to your own people. You are loyal to them, just as I am loyal  
to my own race."  
P Skull turned to look at her. There was a part of him that never ceased to be amazed at her.  
On one level, she could look like a flighty, impulsive, endlessly enthusiastic girl barely out of  
childhood, but there were depths of wisdom in her that harkened back to her father, known to be  
the wisest wizard on Tien, and there was no mistaking the proud light in her eyes when she spoke  
of her world, or of anything she really loved. Whatever she felt, she felt it completely and totally,  
and she would do anything for a cause she believed in. Of course, Skull was only sensing an  
inkling of that, without being able to put it into words, but he knew her well enough to know that  
anyone who got on her bad side had better look out.  
P "Well, kinda," he said vaguely. "Don't get me wrong, I love it here, too. I mean, I'm  
happy here, and you and Hemlock and Poplar have been so nice to me... not many people were  
nice to me like this back home."  
P "Tien is a friendly world," said Cedar. "We have always been known for our hospitality -  
at least, we were before the war started. It has made people less trusting. I hope things go back to  
normal when Zedd is finally gone."  
P "If he messes this place up even a little bit, I'll make him regret it," said Skull with  
surprising vehemence. He had never quite gotten over seeing the attempted assassination of  
Hemlock. In the month that Skull had been living on Tien, he had come to think of Hemlock  
almost as a second father, and his sleep was sometimes troubled by nightmares of seeing the mage  
lying in a slowly spreading pool of blood.   
P "I feel the same," said Cedar, her voice hard with controlled anger. "There are times I  
wish someone would just kill him and be done with it."  
P "bYou know, that's not a bad idea,/b" answered a thoughtful voice.   
P "What?" said Skull and Cedar in unison.   
P Perched up in a tree, his glorious flaming feathers tossing in the light breeze, was the  
Firebird. He looked down on them with the air of a benevolent being surveying his followers -  
which was fairly close to how he perceived the situation. Seeing that he had their attention, he  
fluttered down to perch on the garden wall, putting him closer to eye-level so they wouldn't have  
to strain their necks to see him.  
P "bI was just agreeing with you,/b" he said, with a courteous nod to Cedar. "bSomeone  
really does need to do something final and decisive about this Lord Zedd person before he goes  
too far./b"  
P Skull said nothing. Ever since he had threatened to strangle the bird over a disagreement,  
the fire entity had made it a point to be particularly polite and friendly. He was always popping up  
at odd moments and chatting with them for no evident reason other than to be sociable. Then he  
would vanish again and not show up for hours or days. Sometimes he would come back from  
wherever he went seeming quite cheerful, but there were other times when he'd return from his  
absences looking concerned and muttering to himself. Depending on his mood, questions about  
where he took off to would either be answered by grand pronouncements about the affairs of  
immortals that revealed no useful information, or by snapped remarks about minding their own  
business. If the latter, he would always apologize almost instantly, and go back to being perfectly  
polite and mannerly. It put Skull on the defensive. He might not be the brightest crayon in the  
box, but even he knew that when someone suddenly began to be very nice for no special reason, it  
was time to watch your back. Though, on the other hand, he might just be trying not to have his  
neck wrung.   
P "Exactly," said Cedar. "He's already gone too far, if you asked me. No one should want  
the whole universe for himself, and that is just what he's trying to get."  
P "bYou should get rid of him,/b" Firebird answered. "bYou could do it. You have  
the power. Just go in and zap him. I'll help./b"  
P "Are you out of your featherbrain?" asked Skull, dumbfounded. "There's no way I'm  
going up against Lord Zedd! He's like the most powerful evil sorcerer in the universe! I'm just  
Skull-you-bonehead, the village idiot. No way I could beat him. No way."  
P "bCorrection, my good fellow. You are the Dark Falcon,/b" Firebird answered  
mildly. "bYou can do a lot more than you think you can. I've seen you. Just think: no one has  
ever defeated an Eccubus before, no one but you, and you did that all by yourself. With my help  
and that of your lady friend here, you should be more than a match for this Zedd person./b"  
P "Uh-uh. No way, no how, no sir," said Skull. "I'm not fighting him, and that's that."  
P "Right," Cedar added. "It's too risky. How would we even get to Lord Zedd? He must  
have hundreds of guards and soldiers and servants between himself and us. We'd never even get  
near him."  
P "bThere are ways around all that,/b" said Firebird in a lofty tone that was not  
especially convincing.   
P "Well, I don't want to know about them," Skull replied. "I'll keep on doing what I'm  
doing. Fighting ordinary monsters is bad enough."  
P "bWell, fine, then,/b" said Firebird, sounding a bit sulky. "bI was only trying to be  
helpful. Why do you always resist so much when I make perfectly good suggestions?/b"  
P "Because your suggestions always come out wrong," answered Cedar tartly. She  
considered a moment. "I am hungry. Are you hungry, Eugene? I think there is bread left over  
from this morning's baking."  
P "Hey, I could go for that," Skull replied, brightening. "Your mom's cooking is the best.  
My mom was never much of a cook."  
P "bOh, very well,/b" said the Firebird with a sigh. "bI can tell when I'm not  
wanted. But think about what I said, and if you ever feel like taking the direct approach to ending  
this war, just give me a call and I will come. Think carefully, now. Think about how many lives it  
would save is Lord Zedd was gone. Think of the suffering that would be avoided./b"  
P "Right now, I'm thinking more about lunch," said Skull. "See ya, Firebird."  
P "bHmph!/b" the Firebird replied, and he vanished from sight in a sudden blink of  
light.  
pcenter~*~/center  
p By the time the afternoon was over, Skull had nearly forgotten the Firebird's proposal. He  
hadn't given it any serious consideration when he'd heard it, and he didn't intend to think about it  
any more. There was too much to do besides fuss about the absurd notions of cocky immortals -  
flying practice with Cedar, running errands for Hemlock, exploring the wonders of the  
marketplace. He was tired by the time he got to bed that night, and he fell almost instantly into a  
deep sleep.  
p Unfortunately, it was not a dreamless sleep. In his mind, he relived his previous battles. At  
first, it was only those he had faced before - Goldar, Firestrike, the Eccubus - but the creatures  
quickly multiplied. The monsters who had troubled him in Angel Grove appeared and pursued  
him, and he was badly outnumbered. Cedar and the Firebird were nowhere to be seen, and the  
villains were pressing close on him. He turned to face them, ready for battle, prepared to  
transform into his powerful alter-ego and teach them all a lesson... but his pendant was gone! That  
was always his worst fear, that it would be lost and he would be unprotected. It was even more  
than that, though. Though he hadn't noticed it happening, the Dark Falcon had been a part of his  
soul, and losing it hurt like nothing else could. He was alone now, defenseless, and there was  
nothing he could do but throw up his hands in surrender, and the monsters mobbed him with  
gleeful roars and howls. Then he was being dragged before some kind of throne that loomed out  
of the dark, and he could just barely see some shadowy thing sitting in it. He cringed away in fear.  
P "So, if it isn't Eugene Skullovitch," growled the thing in a deep voice. "I know you. You  
never could get anything right, could you? You couldn't get to Terra Venture, you couldn't save  
Tien, and you couldn't save your little family."  
P "What...?" Skull began.  
P Then he stopped. The shadows parted to one side of the being of darkness, and he could  
see bodies strewn about, mangled and pale. He couldn't turn away fast enough to stop himself  
from recognizing them: Poplar, Hemlock, Cedar, Bulk, other friends from Angel Grove.  
P "What have you done?" cried Skull in anguish.  
P "I got rid of them. You were supposed to come and help them, but you didn't make it.  
You're not good enough, and you never were. All you've ever been is a failure, and now Tien is  
gone because of you."  
P "No! I did my best. I tried to save them..."  
P "You didn't try. You had your chance, and you never took it. You see," answered the  
voice, "I am Lord Zedd. Because you let me live, I've taken over your universe. You're a failure,  
Skull. That is why I've taken your powers." He held up a clawed hand, and the Firebird pendant  
dangled in it, flashing with its own light. Then it blinked and dissolved into lights that slowly  
crawled up the creature's arm. Soon the whole monster was glowing... and growing. It was  
becoming an enormous, revolting giant that reached down with its cruel talons to snatch Skull up  
and crush him...  
P "iNOOOOOOOOOOO!/i" Skull screamed.  
P He sat bolt upright in bed, shivering in cold terror, breathing hard. He looked around his  
room, his safe, comfortable space, trying to get his heart to stop pounding. After a moment, he  
climbed out of bed and pulled on a robe against the nightly chill - even in summer, temperatures  
could drop below a range uncomfortable for beings without feathers. A brief exploration of his  
room reassured him a little. The Firebird medallion was just where he had left it, lying on his  
dresser with its cord carefully coiled. Even in the dim moonlight, it glittered with the same  
rainbow light that had caught his eye the first time he had seen it. He hung it around his neck and  
was emboldened by its closeness.   
P He tiptoed out into the hallway and found Cedar's door ajar, so he peeked inside. She was  
sound asleep, resting peacefully. A shaft of moonlight was touching her face, making her seem  
more a creature of silver with golden hair than a simple mortal creature. Skull watched her for a  
long time before he finally closed the door gently and left.   
P Well, what was he to do now? It seemed his dream had been only a dream, but there had  
to be some reason why he'd had it. That was what he thought, anyway. He was almost sure he  
had heard somewhere that dreams had meanings to them somewhere. Anyway, he might as well  
think about something, because there was no way he would be able to sleep after having a  
nightmare like that. It was everything he was most afraid of come to life - failing his friends,  
losing his powers, and then being helpless in the face of some horrifying creature. The real trouble  
was that there was a possibility that his dream could come true.  
P *iBut maybe if I really did get rid of Lord Zedd..../i*  
P He shook his head. Who was he trying to kid? He couldn't do it, and he knew he couldn't  
do it, so why even think about it?   
P *iBecause if I don't do something, I'm going to be having dreams about it for the rest  
of my life./i*  
P Perhaps it wouldn't be as bad as he thought. After all, the Firebird had promised to help.  
Skull wasn't entirely sure, because he had never seen either of them in action, but he was pretty  
sure a fire immortal would be a pretty fair match for a mage, even one as powerful as Lord Zedd.  
It could work... maybe.  
P "Firebird?" he called softly. "Hey, Firebird, are you around?"  
P In response, there was a flutter of wings, and the Firebird came to land on his windowsill,  
filling Skull's room with warm light. He cocked his head curiously and stared at his human friend  
with a puzzled expression in his glowing aquamarine eyes.  
P "bYou certainly are up late,/b" was his remark. "bYou called me at a good time,  
though. I just got back. What are you doing up at this hour? It's past midnight./b"  
P "I had a dream, and it woke me up," Skull replied. "Where have you been? What are you  
back from?"  
P "bVisiting people,/b" answered the Firebird, giving more of a direct response than  
Skull had ever gotten from him before. "bSo, what did you call me for? You realize I won't  
just appear like this for anyone./b"  
P "I was thinking about what you said earlier," Skull replied. "About getting rid of Lord  
Zedd. Do you really think I can do it? I mean, are you really and truly one hundred percent sure?"  
P "bOf course I'm sure! I'm always sure. I do not suggest doing things unless I have a  
sound reason to believe there is merit in doing them,/b" said the Firebird. "bWhy? Do you  
think you want to reconsider?/b"  
P "Maybe," answered Skull carefully. "What exactly do you want me to do? I'm not crazy  
enough to just run in there and attack him."  
P "bDon't worry. I have a plan,/b" answered the Firebird. "bHave a seat and let me  
explain./b"  
P Skull pulled the chair from his desk and sat down. The Firebird fluttered briefly around the  
room before alighting on top of the desk in front of Skull. He preened his feathers quickly before  
asking, "bHas your friend Hemlock ever mentioned to you a thing called the Zeo Crystal?/b"   
P "I don't think so," answered Skull. He didn't think he'd ever heard of the crystal itself, but  
the phrase, "Zeo Rangers," wandered through his mind.  
P "bThe Zeo Crystal is a source of incredible power, forged by ancient magicians many  
years ago. It is now hidden in catacombs beneath the surface of a lifeless planet, protected by  
powerful magic. No creature of evil can get anywhere near it without being destroyed rather  
messily, but iyou/i have the power to make sure that doesn't happen./b"  
P "I do?" asked Skull, confused.  
P "bNo,/b" Firebird replied, "b but Zedd doesn't know that./b"   
P "Ohhhhhhhh," said Skull. "So, why is this important?"  
P The Firebird looked annoyed. "bThink! Zedd wants to win this war at any cost, and  
having the Zeo Crystal would be a great help with that. He can't get it because he's evil, but if  
you come along to get rid of the shield, he can steal it and make himself invincible. What he  
doesn't know is that you don't have any more capability to get take the shield down than he does.  
So when he tries to pass through it.../b"  
P "He gets fried!" Skull finished. "Hey, that's pretty cool!"  
P "bSee? I know what I'm doing. So, do you want to try?/b"  
P "Aw, I don't know..." said Skull, deflating a little. "Cedar would never go for it. She  
thinks it's too dangerous."  
P "bShe doesn't have to know,/b" Firebird replied. "bI will go in her place - Zedd  
will never know I'm not your companion, and I can tell you what to say and do. You'll be back  
before morning, and Zedd will be gone for good. Think how pleased she'll be when she hears the  
news!/b"   
P "Oh. I hadn't thought of that," said Skull. "You know, that's not such a bad idea. If  
you're really sure it will work..."  
P "bI am,/b" answered the Firebird.  
P "...then I'll do it!" said Skull. "For Cedar and the Aerials!"  
P "bExcellent!/b" Firebird replied. "bWell, then, let us waste no more time. Are you  
ready to go?/b"   
P "Not in my bathrobe," Skull replied. "Just let me transform. iFirebird!/i"  
P There was a flash of light, and in an instant, the scruffy human with sleep-tousled hair was  
suddenly replaced by a sleek armored warrior with predatory eyes. As the Firebird whisked him  
away, though, he had to admit he was still a little scared inside.  
pcenter~*~/center  
P Night had come to Zedd's castle, just as it came everywhere. He would have changed that,  
if he could. He hardly ever needed to sleep - a few minutes a day, at most - and he always felt  
slightly irked that he had to shut down the rest of the castle just for the convenience of lesser  
beings. Still, servants did have to rest occasionally, or else they would do the annoying thing of  
dropping dead of exhaustion, or at least thoroughly botching their tasks due to weariness, so the  
warlord put up with it. The lesser servants slept when they needed to, and he mostly didn't bother  
with them as long as their tasks were being done as specified, but the higher-ups were expected to  
be at their lord's beck an call at any time of day. Though the rest of the castle might sleep, its  
heart, Zedd's throne room, was constantly active.  
P Outside the castle, though, there was nothing much happening. A pair of guards stood  
listlessly at the front doors of the palace, halberds held disinterestedly, peering into the darkness  
that lay beyond the flickering light of a pair of torches. The moon and stars were blocked away,  
leaving the world shrouded in a deep gloom. Clouds drifted across the sky, putting forth sporadic  
drops of cold rain. Hidden in the shadows, Skull shivered, even with the warmth of the Firebird  
hidden behind one of his wings to block his glow.  
P "Okay, how are we going to get inside?" Skull whispered.  
P The bird approximated a shrug. "bJust ask./b"  
P "Ask?" repeated Skull. "Oh, sure, I'm just gonna walk right up to those goons and ask for  
a grand tour. I hear they're free to the public from nine to five." Being with the Firebird seemed  
to encourage his capacity for sarcasm.  
P "bDon't take that tone of voice with me. I keep telling you, there are reasons for the  
things I suggest,/b" Firebird replied. "bThose are, as you said, goons. They stand there to  
make sure no one sneaks into the castle. If you try sneaking, you'll probably be caught. On the  
other hand, if you act like you're here on legitimate business, they won't be able to get you to  
Zedd fast enough, for fear of displeasing their master./b"  
P "I guess that makes sense," answered Skull, who had gotten lost somewhere in the middle  
of the explanation. "What do I do once I get inside?"  
P "bCollar a servant and tell him Lord Zedd is waiting for you. That will get you to him  
quickly. Don't worry about what to say; once we're inside, I'll be communicating with you  
telepathically. You'll hear the words in your mind, but no one else will, so I'll be able to tell you  
what to say without creating a suspicion./b"  
P "You don't think Zedd will notice? He's supposed to be a great wizard or something."  
P "bMortal magic,/b" scoffed the Firebird. "bHe won't suspect a thing. All  
monsters, no matter how powerful and cunning, are weak in that they all consider themselves to  
be the cleverest creatures ever to trod the earth. They never stop to think that someone would try  
to put something over on them./b"  
P *iThe same could be said for Firebirds,/i* Skull thought, but he didn't say it aloud.  
What he did say was, "Okay, let's get this over with."  
P With the Firebird perched proudly on his shoulder, Skull marched toward the front doors  
in what he hoped was a confident manner. The armored thugs glanced up at him curiously and  
crossed their halberds.   
P "Who goes there?" one of them demanded.  
P "I'm here on important business," Skull replied, dodging the question - the guards might  
know the name of the Dark Falcon even if they didn't recognize him on sight. "Lord Zedd wanted  
to talk to me. He's not going to be happy if you keep me out."  
P The guards quickly uncrossed their weapons, and one of them pulled a lever that made the  
doors swing open.  
p "Get inside," it growled. Noticing a scaly blue reptile of some sort wandering down a  
hallway, it added, "You there! This fella needs to talk to his highness. Get him to the throne room,  
and be fast about it, or we'll all be in hot water."  
P The thing bobbed its head in a nervous nod. It turned round black eyes on Skull, as if  
sizing up whether this person looked like someone he should be afraid of. Evidently, it decided he  
was, and it instantly became the model of servility.  
P "Right this way, sssssir," it said. It's voice was little more than a sibilant whisper. "I will  
take you ssssstraight to the throne room. His majesssssty is there holding a discusssssion of  
ssssstrategy."  
P "Lead the way," Skull replied. He wondered briefly and irrelevantly if someone could ever  
invent bug repellant for butterflies in the stomach.  
P It has been noted by some that suffering lies as much in anticipation as it does in the actual  
pain. Skull got a firsthand taste of that on his journey through Zedd's palace. It was a vast, dreary  
place of high ceilings and thick shadows - it seemed as if walls and columns and statuary had all  
been chosen to keep the lighting from doing the least amount of good. There were candles set in  
sconces here and there, but they did nothing more than give off pale, flickering glows that made  
everything they didn't directly touch look larger and darker than they really were. There was very  
little that could be seen clearly, but Skull didn't mind that very much. He didn't think he really  
wanted to be able to look at the art decorations, no more than he wanted to think about the  
mounted heads on the wall with glassy eyes and contorted expressions. Though he tried not to see  
them, he felt reasonably sure that some of them were human. Minutes ticked by, and he continued  
to walk in the deep darkness and silence, following a guide who never spoke and never looked at  
him, and he was slowly beginning to get a sense of what kind of person would live in a place like  
this, and he did not like it at all.  
P At last, they paused before another door. Skull resisted the urge to sit down and catch his  
breath. Though the Firebird had seemed quite unperturbed by the whole trip (Well, why not? He  
was supposed to be immortal, so why should he worry about fighting anyone?), his human  
companion was feeling a bit shaken, and he would have liked a chance to stop a while and see if  
he could get his heart to stop beating quite so fast.   
P "Here," hissed the lizard. "These rooms are private, used only by the massssster and those  
he summons to do his bidding, and I am not allowed to enter without permisssssion. You go in  
through here, turn right at the first turning, and follow that hallway until you reach a white door.  
That will take you to where Lord Zedd is."  
P Skull nodded. He went in.  
P He was floored. This part of the castle had ilight/i! Clear, steady light flowed from  
some indefinite source to reflect off white marble walls... or perhaps the light came from the walls  
themselves. There was soft purple carpeting on the floor, and the walls were set at intervals with  
pretentious gilded doors. It was such a contrast from what Skull had just been going through that  
he was momentarily confused.   
P "Wha' happened?" he asked.  
P "bWell, these are obviously rooms especially for the emperor's use,/b" Firebird  
replied. "bI suppose he likes the pomp-and-circumstance look. You wouldn't expect a man  
who has everything to live in a dump, would you?/b"   
P "I guess not," Skull replied. He had never really given much thought into what kind of  
living accommodations a monster would have, so he supposed that idea made as much sense as  
anything else.  
P "bWell, then,/b" said the Firebird briskly. "bWe didn't come here to admire the  
decor, you know. Let's be moving along so we can find Lord Zedd and get on with our  
plan./b"  
P Skull sighed and did as he was told. He found the door right where the servant had said it  
would be, and he was rather surprised to see that it was unguarded and unlocked. Was the  
warlord so powerful or so feared as to not need locks on his doors, or was there something  
unpleasant waiting on the other side for some poor fool to blunder through? Skull turned to  
glance at the Firebird, who gave an encouraging nod. Heart pounding in his ears, the Dark Falcon  
entered the sanctuary of his nemesis.  
P His timing couldn't have been worse. As he opened the door, two heads snapped around  
to face him, each wearing a dangerous expression. One was Lord Zedd, which was to be  
expected. The other was Goldar, and that was a problem.  
P Up until that moment, the evil ape had been deep in discussion with his master, the  
conversation hinging mostly upon Goldar's failure to do as he had been bidden in matters  
concerning the destruction of Tien. The interruption was welcome, in Goldar's view, because he  
hadn't been holding up his end of the argument very well, beyond apologies and general pleas for  
mercy. He was more of a fighter than a debater, and he was no match for his master where words  
were concerned. The truth was, Zedd wasn't going to let him win any arguments no matter how  
well he pleaded his case, because of the fact that the war was slowly but surely beginning to turn  
against him, and he wanted someone to lay the blame on. Since he was convinced that victory  
would be assured for him if he could lay hands on the Crystal of All Times, and because it had  
been unofficially made Goldar's job to get it, he had chosen the winged primate to take the brunt  
of his anger. The arrival of the Dark Falcon would be enough to take some of the heat off of him,  
and possibly even give him a chance to redeem himself before his master.   
P "Dark Falcon!" he roared. "How dare you enter my lord's castle? You're going to pay for  
trespassing here!" He raised his sword in preparation for an attack.  
P "Wait! I come in peace!" Skull said, spreading his hands in a gesture of supplication. "I  
just want to talk to Lord Zedd."  
p "What could you possibly have to discuss with me?" Zedd replied.  
P Skull turned to stare at the speaker. This was Lord Zedd? On his journey, Skull had spent  
many fearful moments imagining what the ruler of monsters and destroyer of worlds could  
possibly look like, composing scenes of horror that left him shaking in his boots. In his wildest  
dreams, he had never really thought that Lord Zedd would look human. He had heard people say  
he looked like a human, but he had never truly believed that anything that terrible could look like  
anything less than a monster - a humanoid monster, maybe, but definitely a monster. In truth,  
Lord Zedd appeared to be nothing more than a perfectly ordinary man, just like any Skull could  
have met on the streets back on Earth. Maybe taller and more muscled than most, and dressed in a  
style that was undeniably alien, but certainly nothing that would inspire nightmares. The only thing  
that seemed wrong about him was the way his eyes seemed to glow. They didn't even look like  
real eyes, just a pair of red-orange orbs that had somehow taken residence in his face. They did  
not look friendly.  
P *iDon't just stand there! Get up there and start talking! I'll tell you what to say./i*   
P The sound of the Firebird's voice echoing in his mind snapped Skull out of his thoughts. A  
suggestion had just been planted in his brain, and, not having any better ideas, he obeyed. Skull  
took a few steps forward, drawing nearer to Zedd's throne. At the Firebird's cue, he dropped to  
one knee before the warlord and lowered his head in a gesture of complete humility, and the  
Firebird lowered his head and spread his wings in an avian bow.   
p "Great Lord Zedd, I have come to denounce my ties to the Aerials and offer my fealty to  
you. If you will take me, I would be honored to join your side." Skull relayed the Firebird's  
speech as the words came into his head. It wasn't terribly difficult, but he found himself wishing  
he knew what he was talking about. He had no idea what "denounce" could mean, and as for  
"fealty," he could only hope it was something he had and that he wouldn't mind giving it if Zedd  
asked for it.  
P Zedd smiled slightly, his expression becoming calculating. He liked seeing his enemies  
bowing to him, whether they were lying about it or not. He hadn't made up his mind yet whether  
the Dark Falcon was lying or not, but he was enjoying the spectacle and the speech. He made a  
quick evaluation of his visitor. The Falcon was not an especially dangerous looking thing with his  
garish costume and unimpressive build, but Zedd knew potential when he saw it, and there was  
potential here. This wasn't a warrior who won by strength, but by speed and agility... and  
cunning? It wasn't out of the range of possibility. But he had obviously never received any real  
training. That much was clearly visible in the way he moved and carried himself. The idea of  
having a warrior like that, one that actually had something going for him besides brute strength,  
who could be trained in any way Lord Zedd saw fit was highly appealing.   
P "You may rise," was all he said. Dark Falcon arose and stood at attention, anxiously  
awaiting the decision of the warlord. Zedd nodded slightly in approval and turned to Goldar.   
P "You get out of here," he said. "I wish to have words with the Dark Falcon in private. I  
will call you if you are needed, which I doubt will happen."  
P "Yes, your highness," said Goldar obediently, and he left the room.   
P That was as far as he got, however. He stood outside the door, leaving it barely ajar, just  
enough that he could peer through the crack and see what was happening. Something funny was  
going on here, he was certain, and he didn't like it one bit. The Dark Falcon he had battled had  
seemed too proud, too loyal to his world to suddenly change his mind like this. And another thing  
- he was absolutely certain that the flaming bird that always accompanied the Falcon was colored  
in shades of gold and orange, whereas this one was every color of the spectrum. It was strange,  
and Goldar had a feeling that the explanation for it would not be something that was liable to help  
Zedd's cause. Lord Zedd, Goldar thought to himself, was a strong leader, a powerful magician,  
and a master planner, but he had been away from the battlefield too long to remember his field  
tactics. Let him trust the Dark Falcon if he wanted to, but Goldar knew his duty well. As long as  
his enemy was within striking distance of the Emperor of Evil, Goldar would be on guard.   
P Meanwhile, Zedd was interrogating his guest.   
P "I suppose you know," he began, "that so far, you have given me no reason to trust you.  
As far as I know, you're trying to put one over on me. As a matter of fact, that is the only  
reasonable explanation I can think of. Unless you can convince me sometime in the very near  
future that you are sincere, I will be forced to do something to you that you won't enjoy. So, let's  
hear what you have to say."  
P For a moment, Skull was frightened, but he was reassured as the Firebird swiftly presented  
him with a reply.  
P "Why should I stay with the Aerials? They're peaceful people, and I'm a warrior. One way  
or another, this war is going to end. If I'm on their side and you win, you'll kill me. If I'm on their  
side and they win, there won't be anything for me to do. If I join you, I'll at least have work to do  
and be appreciated. The Aerials don't want warriors when there's no war."  
P "Hmm," Zedd replied thoughtfully. "That almost sounds logical. Very well, Falcon. I'm  
not convinced of your sincerity, but I'm interested enough to give you a chance."  
P Skull wasn't sure exactly what the best thing to do would be, so just to be safe, he bowed  
again.   
P "Thank you," he said. "I know just the way prove my loyalty. If you want, I can get you  
the Zeo Crystal."  
P Zedd pretended not to be shocked. He was good at controlling his expression; those  
flaming eyes revealed nothing save for the eternal burning of greed in his soul. He fixed his  
inscrutable gaze on the Dark Falcon and feigned mild interest.  
P "I'm listening," was all he said.  
P "I know where the Crystal is, and I know how to deactivate the shield," Skull answered,  
grateful the Firebird was there to tell him what to say. "Follow me, and I'll take you straight to  
it."  
P "Why do I have to go?"  
P "I can't take the crystal and hold the shield open at the same time. I have to have help...  
and would you trust anyone else with its power?"  
P "That," Zedd replied, "makes entirely too much sense. You have your speech well  
rehearsed, don't you? It makes me wonder why you felt you needed to plan all this so well."  
P Skull felt his mouth go dry. He was beginning to think this wasn't such a good idea.  
P *iJust watch and wait,/i* the Firebird assured him. *iHe'll fall for it, you'll  
see./i*  
P "You're probably up to something," Zedd said, "but that makes very little difference at the  
moment. Let's see you get on with your act. If you do as you say you will, fine. If you don't... I  
will personally destroy you. That is not an honor every hero gets."  
P "I'm no hero. You can believe that," Skull replied. He felt shock radiating from the  
Firebird even without words - that line, at least, he had come up with himself. He meant it, too.  
P "I see. Very well then," answered Lord Zedd. He gestured with one hand, and his  
lightning bolt staff appeared. "Let's get on with it."  
P Skull nodded. In a fiery blink of light, courtesy of the Firebird, the three of them vanished.  
No one noticed an addition to the group, as Goldar followed after his master.  
pcenter~*~/center  
p They reappeared in a tunnel made of grey stone. It was dim in the tunnel, but the area they  
were standing in seemed to be lit by some kind of strange, sourceless glow. Even the Firebird's  
radiance seemed muted. Skull glanced around in apprehension, but there didn't seem to be  
anything threatening in the immediate area. There didn't seem to be any crystals there, either,  
magical or otherwise. Zedd seemed to be noticing the same thing.  
p "Where are we? Where is the Zeo Crystal?"  
p Answers were supplied by the Firebird, and Skull began to relay them.  
p "We're in the Caves of Deception. The magical field around this place is too strong to  
safely transport through. We'll have to walk the rest of the way."  
p "You'd better not be lying," Zedd replied.  
P They began walking, the Firebird giving Skull discreet directions. The indistinct glow  
followed them, lighting the area within a ten foot radius while leaving everything else in shadow.  
The caves seemed to twist and branch all around, and Skull kept thinking he saw things flitting  
around in the edges of his vision that kept vanishing when he tried to look at them, and he felt  
nervous.  
p *iI don't like this place. This is really weird./i*   
p *iDon't complain,/i* the Firebird's voice answered in his mind. *iThere is a  
reason why these are called the Caves of Deception. This place is filled with magic of confusion,  
illusions of fear and deceit meant to frighten away trespassers. I have laid a spell around all of us  
that will keep them at bay. You ought to thank me for that./i*  
p "Is this trip going to take much longer?" asked Zedd in irritation. "I will be very angry if  
you are leading me on a wild goose chase... or a wild falcon chase. Speed things along!"  
p "We're almost there," said Skull. "It's just a little further ahead."  
p "You had better hope so," Zedd replied, fingering his staff significantly. Skull tried not to  
shiver.  
p Suddenly, the Firebird glanced up and looked around sharply, as if he'd heard a gunshot  
somewhere.  
p *iDon't look now,/i* he told Skull, *ibut we're being followed. One of Zedd's  
helpers, by the feel of things./i*  
p *iWhat should I do?/i*   
p *iSend me to scout it out for you, while you go on for the crystal. It isn't much further;  
you can find it yourself without too much trouble. I can handle any kind of creepy-crawly Zedd  
can dredge up./i*  
p Skull nodded, and gestured for Zedd to halt a moment.  
p "What is it now?" the mage growled.  
p "We've got company," Skull replied. "I'm going to send my bird to check it out."  
p He felt the Firebird bristle a little at being called "my bird," but he didn't really care. It was  
a subtle sort of revenge for getting him into this mess in the first place. Zedd considered a  
moment.  
p "Fine, then. Get on with it."  
p With that cue, the Firebird took off and began flapping down the halls on silent wings of  
flame, leaving the Dark Falcon to navigate for himself. Feeling deeply uneasy, Skull began  
walking again.   
p After a bit of time had passed, the pair came to a fork in the tunnels. The way diverged  
abruptly into two ominous dark tunnels, perfectly identical, neither looking very promising. Skull  
stopped and stared, not liking what he was seeing.  
p "Well?" asked Zedd. "Which way?"  
p "Um..." Skull racked his brain desperately, trying to come up with a satisfactory answer.  
"I forgot."  
p "You iforgot/i?" Zedd repeated. "Of all the idiotic-"  
p "It's okay," Skull interjected. "We can split up and search them both." He would have  
been very glad to get out of the warlord's company.  
P "Oh, no," said Zedd, giving the Falcon a suspicious look. "You're not going to fool me  
that easily! You can check both of them yourself, and I'll wait right here for you."  
p "Okay, fine. I was only making a suggestion," Skull replied. He shrugged, gathered what  
courage he had, and headed down one of the tunnels.   
P Luck was with him. He had only gone a short distance down the corridor when he noticed  
a faint light, and he picked up his pace. Very soon, he emerged in an large room, filled with a pale,  
pearly glow. The glow came from a stone resting proudly on a pedestal, bright with its own light,  
and Skull felt a shiver run down his spine. He was looking at pure, crystalized magic. It was,  
without a doubt, the Zeo Crystal.  
pcenter~*~/center  
p Firebird soared through the caves, humming brightly to himself. He was the only one in  
the tunnels who was having a good time. He was looking forward to having a battle of wits with  
whatever it was he had noticed following him. It didn't take him long at all to find Goldar slinking  
through the shadows, jumping at movements. The armored ape wasn't benefitting from the  
Firebird's spell of protection from hallucinations, and he was having to rely on force of will alone.  
It was a good thing for him that he didn't have much of an imagination, or he would have been  
having a dreadful time. As it was, the visions came only sporadically and were easy enough to be  
rid of if he concentrated. Still, he was nervous, and having a flaming bird suddenly fling itself at  
him was enough to startle him badly.  
P "Aaagh!" he shouted, waving his sword wildly.   
P The Firebird was unharmed. "bWhat's a goon like you doing in a place like this?/b" he  
taunted. "bI would have thought your mother would have better sense than to let you cross the  
street by yourself, much less come all the way out here./b"  
P "Watch your beak, you poor excuse for a sparrow!" Goldar snapped back.  
P "bIs that the best insult you can come up with? For shame! That's iso/i unoriginal./b"  
P "Would you rather I turn you into a spitted goose?" asked the warrior, raising his sword  
threateningly.   
p "bYou'd have to apprehend me first!/b" called the Firebird cheerily. "bCatch me if you can,  
slowpoke!/b" Laughing, he swooped down one of the corridors and out of sight.   
p Angered, Goldar chased after him. He barreled down the passages, a gold-plated  
juggernaut, ready to rip the Firebird to little bits when he caught up to him. Unfortunately, the  
caves were twisting and sprawling in all directions, and he wasn't watching where he was going.  
He ran blindly, and the illusions played tricks on him, making it seem like the caves were full of  
flaming birds. Finally, Goldar ran out of energy and looked around. He was now completely lost.  
With a growl of frustration, he looked around, picked a direction, and started walking, trying  
without much real hope to retrace his steps, muttering and cursing the Firebird.   
p And the Firebird sat hidden in the deepest shadows, enjoying every minute of it.  
pcenter~*~/center  
p Frozen in place, Skull continued to stare at the Zeo Crystal. It was so beautiful and so  
unlike anything that he'd ever seen, he moved forward to touch it. By the time he felt the shield, it  
was too late to back away... but it only parted for him as if it was no more than smoke. Then he  
was standing next to the pedestal, reaching out one hand...  
P Images reeled through his mind, and he yelped in shock and jumped backwards. He stared  
at the crystal with a suspicious look, as if expecting it to attack him, but it only sat there glowing.  
It had already told him all it needed him to know, and he stood there considering. The images had  
shown him a young man in white picking up the crystal, and Skull had recognized him as his old  
schoolmate, Tommy. There was something in the images that had felt almost apologetic. It was  
sorry it couldn't let Skull take it, but it was waiting for Tommy. That was all. Skull was confused.  
In the images he had seen, Tommy had been dressed as a Power Ranger. But that was crazy...  
wasn't it?  
P "No crazier than me being the Dark Falcon," Skull said, stepping back out of the dome of  
protection. Raising his voice, he shouted, "Hey, down here! I found it!"  
P Moments later, Zedd arrived, looking wary. Then his gaze fell on the crystal, and he took  
on an expression of surprise.  
P "Well," he said. "It seems you were telling the truth, then."  
P Without anyone to tell him what to say, Skull only shrugged. Zedd moved forward, his  
eyes glued to the shining stone. Just before he was about to touch the shield, the tip of his staff  
struck it, and sparks fountained. He jumped in surprise and whirled angrily on Skull.  
p "You haven't taken the shield down," he said dangerously, narrowing his flaming eyes.  
The light in them seemed to concentrate, hot and fierce. Skull shivered inside, but outwardly, he  
seemed to stay calm.  
p "Right," he said. "And I'm not going to. We're going to fight. I've had enough of you  
messing with my friends, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" His voice was getting louder and  
more defiant as he spoke. "It doesn't matter how powerful you are, I'm still going to beat you  
right here, right now. So there."  
p "A pretty speech," Zedd sneered. "Well, you're a good liar, Dark Falcon - I'll give you  
credit for that. You would have done better to keep up the act, because now, I'm afraid I'm going  
to have to destroy you."  
P Skull produced his sword. "Try it."  
P Zedd didn't waste any time with preliminaries. He sprang at the Dark Falcon like a cat  
attacking a bird, and Skull made a dodge and a tumble. They both got back to their feet, Zedd  
with practiced smoothness, Skull with an uncoordinated scramble. The warlord lashed out with  
his staff, attempting to stab the Falcon while he was still off-balance, but Skull used his sword to  
parry the blow. He wasn't trying to attack yet; the Dark Falcon's instincts were telling him that a  
sword, even the beautiful and possibly magical one he carried, wouldn't be enough to kill Lord  
Zedd. The only thing available that would do it was the shield, and so he had to try to force the  
mage closer to it. He managed a solid kick to Zedd's chest, making him stumble backwards a  
little, and Skull moved in to try to press him further. The mage retaliated with a powerful blow of  
his own, sending the Dark Falcon crashing against the wall. He raised his staff to fire a finishing  
bolt of energy, but Skull quickly flipped open his wings to shield himself. He shifted the sword to  
laser mode again and fired a few rapid shots at his assailant, but Zedd blocked them easily. Skull  
gave up on that tactic and went back to his sword again, and he struck out at Zedd's staff, hoping  
to knock it out of his hands. The blade crossed with the wand, and the combatants struggled to  
break the lock.   
p "Give up, Falcon! You'll never win!" Zedd growled.   
P "Your slip is showing," Skull replied.  
P "Huh?"   
p Concentration broken, Zedd glanced down in confusion. What he saw was the Dark  
Falcon's purple boot coming up to kick him in the midriff, and he staggered backwards.  
p Despite Skull's efforts at aiming the blow, Lord Zedd managed not to crash directly into  
the shield. That would have destroyed him in an instant in a very painful fashion. He only grazed  
the edge of it, and thus got only a fraction of its full force. It was still enough.  
P Skull looked up just in time to have his eyes seared by an explosion of bright light. A  
scream came from somewhere, an inhuman wail of pure agony, and Skull closed his eyes and  
clapped his hands to his ears in a desperate attempt to shut it all out. The scream intensified, and  
now there was a sort of sizzling sound mixed in. Then all the noise began to slowly fade out.  
What was left of Lord Zedd fell limply to the floor. Cautiously, Skull took his hands away from  
his ears. He opened one eye, then the other. So far, so good. Then he turned around and looked  
at the Zeo Crystal. It was still resting comfortably on its pedestal. Finally, his gaze fell upon the  
fallen warlord. Skull stared a moment at the gory mess, and then he quietly passed out.  
P A few moments later, the Firebird swooped in.  
P "bWhat's going on?/b" he called. "bEugene, what happened? I felt an explosion  
and-/b" He paused in mid-sentence as he scanned the area and the two still bodies lying on the  
floor. He dropped between them an examined the remains of Zedd.  
P "bOh, dear,/b" said the Firebird. "bThat's rather gruesome, isn't it? This didn't go  
at all the way I expected. Oh, well. This has been interesting. I guess it's back to the drawing  
board again. Time to go home, Eugene./b" He flicked his wing at the still unconscious form of  
the Dark Falcon, and they both vanished in a flare of gold light.  
P Their timing was very fortunate, because just at that moment, Goldar came running in,  
panting a little from his mad dash and frustration with the whole situation. He skidded to a halt  
and looked all around the room. It didn't take him long to notice the grisly remains of his master,  
or to recognize the staff that was still gripped tightly in the warlord's hand. He felt a sinking  
feeling at the sight of the ruined body, and wondered what he could possibly do. Then, taking a  
closer look. Impossible as it seemed, Zedd's chest was still rising and falling in weak breaths, and  
now a dazed moan of pain was audible. Despite his appalling state, Lord Zedd was still alive.  
P "Aargh!" cried Goldar in frustration. This was just what he had been trying to prevent!  
Perhaps, though, he could still save his master's life if he moved fast enough. He kneeled next to  
the prone warlord, and they both vanished in a swirl of flames.  
pcenter~*~/center  
p *iNightmare,/i* thought Skull dazedly. *iI've been having the worst dream.../i*  
P Well, it was all okay now, he was back in his nice safe room, and everything was going to  
be all right... His thoughts ended abruptly as he realized he was still wearing his Dark Falcon  
costume. He opened his eyes and was met by twin pools of amber. He jumped.   
p "Are you all right, Eugene?" asked Cedar worriedly.  
P Skull breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm fine. That was just... brr! I don't want to do that  
again."  
P "Ve vere all vorried about you, Eugene," said Hemlock, who was sitting nearby. "Ven  
Cedar told us vat the Firebird told you to do..."  
P "Did you really go to fight with Lord Zedd?" Cedar interrupted.  
P "Yeah," said Skull, nodding weakly. "We fought. I think I won... I shoved him into a force  
field, and there was this explosion, and he burned up... no one could have survived that. It was  
terrible..."  
P "Aw, poor Eugene," said Cedar sympathetically, trying to hug him even though he was  
still lying down. He accepted the gesture of affection gratefully. It would be a while before he  
could close his eyes without seeing the grisly remains of the warlord with his skin burned  
completely away...  
P "Lord Zedd is... dead?" asked Hemlock in disbelief. "Can it be true?"  
P Skull nodded weakly. "He's gone."  
P Hemlock closed lifted his eyes skyward in a prayerful expression. "Good forces be  
thanked! We are saved at last."  
P Tired and drained as he felt, Skull managed to smile. He was safe, he was with people he  
loved, and he had won. For once, he finally believed it was true. He was a hero.   
pcenter~*~/center  
P Skull fidgeted in the antechamber of the great hall. Cedar, perched on his shoulder in her  
Gold Eagle form, attempted to soothe him by preening his hair. He managed a smile for her.  
P "Don't be so nervous!" she said to him. "All will be well. You are here to be honored, not  
executed."  
P "I know,"said Skull. "I'm just not used to big crowds, I guess. I'm not used to being  
noticed."  
P Cedar giggled. "You are funny, Eugene Skullovitch. You run off in the middle of the night  
with only crazy Firebird to help you to battle the greatest evil sorcerer in the universe, and now  
you are scared of being given a medal for it."  
P "Yeah, I guess it is kinda silly," Skull agreed, laughing a little. "I'd be scared stiff if you  
weren't here with me. And it's not like I wasn't scared of Zedd or anything. I was scared, but I  
was more scared of what would happen if I didn't stop him. That's the only thing that kept me  
going."  
P The door opened, and Skull restrained himself from jumping in surprise as a little robot  
peeked around the door.  
P "Who or what are you?" he asked.  
p "I am Alpha Five," answered the driod, bowing slightly. "We are ready to begin the  
ceremony now, Dark Falcon."  
P "Thanks," said Skull. He got up and followed the robot down a hall and around a corner  
to the main double doors of the meeting hall. A dull hum of voices emanated from inside, the  
sound of many people talking to each other. Skull felt his nervousness rising, but he throttled it  
down. The robot pushed the doors aside, and he went in.   
p The room was ihuge/i, and for a moment, Skull couldn't help but stare at it, his gaze  
wandering from the high arched ceiling lit by gold chandeliers to the red carpeted walkway across  
the white marble floors to the gold candelabrum on the walls and then... then he looked at the  
people. They nearly filled the room, standing in respectful groups on either side of the walkway,  
peering over each other's shoulders as they vied for a glimpse of him. Some looked human, some  
animal, some reptile, some robotic, some so totally alien Skull couldn't name them at all. Some of  
them actually glowed. He could have stood there in the doorway for hours if the helpful robot  
hadn't given him a discreet push to start him walking. Slowly, he stepped onto the carpet, and the  
onlookers fell into a hush, as if his treading on that red strip had activated a hidden mute button.  
He couldn't even hear the sounds of his own booted feet touching the floor.   
P He reached the far side of the room, where a set of platforms placed one atop the other  
created a set of stairs leading up to a dias. Sometimes a judgement seat rested there, but today it  
was gone. There was a small door behind the uppermost platform, and as Skull arrived there, the  
door opened. The stillness deepened as all breathing was bated.  
P The man who came through the door was an impressive figure. It wasn't so much in his  
looks though; he was tall and strong looking, but not really that imposing physically. There was  
an aura around him of controlled power and of deep wisdom. This was a man who had seen love  
and pain had gained understanding that most people would never find in their lifetimes, and Skull  
was slightly awed. Then his gaze was caught by the man's eyes. They were blue as the evening  
sky and warm as a friend's greeting, and for the first time since coming to Eltar, Skull relaxed. He  
also began to notice that, though the man was wearing a stately blue robe of royal blue, decorated  
with medals and badges of honor, he was still wearing a plain white shirt and breeches in a style  
very like what Hemlock wore for working in his lab, and Skull got the impression that the man he  
was meeting now had just pulled his formal costume on quickly a few minutes before the  
ceremony. He smiled and bowed, not as deeply and subserviently as he had for Lord Zedd, but  
with total sincerity.  
p "Zordon," he greeted.  
p "Dark Falcon," answered Zordon with a courteous nod. "Welcome to my homeworld. It is  
an honor to have you here."  
P "The honor is mine," Skull replied automatically. Hemlock had coached him on what to  
say before he had come here, but he honestly meant what he said.  
P Zordon turned to the audience, spreading his arms to include them all as he spoke to them.  
P "My friends, we are gathered here today to honor a true hero. In an act of unparalleled  
bravery, he has risked his life to save our universe in a way that leaves no doubt of his bravery. By  
his courageous deed, we are freed of the terror of one of our greatest enemies. Therefore, it is my  
great pleasure to present the Dark Falcon with a medal of valor."  
P There were applause and cheers from the audience. Skull blushed a little, and Zordon gave  
him a reassuring smile.  
P "This is the part where you kneel," he whispered over the tumult.  
P "Oh, sorry," Skull replied.   
P The Dark Falcon dropped to one knee before the wizard, and the little robot came up from  
the side to hand Zordon a box made of dark, polished wood. Taking and opening it, Zordon  
removed a golden medallion hung on a purple silk ribbon, which he ceremoniously hung around  
Skull's neck. Skull rose again and bowed to the audience, and the ovation was deafening.   
p Zordon said a few more uplifting words to the crowd, and Skull took the opportunity to  
examine his new treasure. The medallion was a finely wrought thing, brightly polished and perfect  
down to the last detail. The face bore the mark of a sword and a feather making a cross design,  
while the back was stamped with a picture of a spread-winged eagle that looked a lot like the  
Firebird, but with less personality. Finally, the speeches were concluded, and Skull went to mingle  
with the masses, accepting congratulations. Even the Gold Eagle got her share of attention.  
P As Skull made his rounds, Zordon stood to one side and watched. The little robot came to  
his side and looked up at him curiously.  
P "Ay, yi, yi, Zordon," he said, "who iis/i that masked man?"  
p Zordon continued to watch the Dark Falcon, smiling enigmatically.  
P "Alpha, my friend," he said, "some things are best left unknown."  
pcenter~*~/center  
p Lord Zedd awakened in a dark room. For a moment, he was too dazed for anything to  
register, but then the pain hit him. He was a mighty warrior and mage who had suffered without  
flinching agonies that would have crushed lesser men. It had been thousands of years since he had  
felt any level of suffering that was enough to mean more than a distraction. He gritted his teeth  
and fought against the tears that were pressing unbidden from his eyes, burning against his skin  
like acid... or rather, against the place where his skin used to be. He lay tensed, doing all within  
his power not to cry out against the unbearable pain, until he felt a sudden prick on his arm that  
sent soothing warmth spreading slowly through his body. The doctor nodded in satisfaction as he  
saw his ruler relax.   
P "Is he going to live?" asked Goldar worriedly. If Zedd were to die, the empire would fall  
to pieces, and that would leave him in something of a tight spot.  
P "He's made it this far," said the doctor with a sigh, putting the hypodermic needle away.  
"Chances are good that he will live, but he will never be the same."  
P "What... happened?" Zedd managed to ask. His voice sounded rough and harsh in his ears.  
He couldn't remember how, but he must have been in a terrible accident.   
P "It was the Dark Falcon," offered Goldar helpfully. "He tricked you into trying to steal the  
Zeo Crystal."  
P "The Dark Falcon," Zedd repeated. He thought it over for a while as best he could with  
the pain drugs clouding his mind. The Dark Falcon had tricked him, probably humiliated him in  
front of all the forces of Good. Word would spread that Lord Zedd could be taken down by an  
untested young warrior in a funny suit, and he'd never hear the end of it. The Dark Falcon would  
pay dearly for it, in time, but for now....  
P "Bring me a mirror," he said. "Show me what has been done."  
P There was a nervous scuffling and a whispered conversation. The doctor stepped forward.   
P "I don't th-think that would be a g-good idea, your highness," he said, trying not to  
stammer.   
P "I don't care what you think," said Lord Zedd, some of his former character showing  
through the haze of drugs and pain. "I care what I want, and what I want now is for my order to  
be obeyed without question. Do it!"  
p The doctor jumped and scuttled away. Moments later, he reappeared carrying a small  
mirror, which he held up for Zedd's inspection. The evil monarch managed to stare into his  
hideously disfigured face for a few seconds before turning away in revulsion.  
P "I will need a mask," he said. He sounded tired. "No one will see this. No one."  
p "You need to sleep. We'll take care of it," said the doctor soothingly. "The medicine I  
gave you will send you to sleep in a few moments, and I will make sure you are attended to."  
P "Make it so," Zedd replied.  
P Goldar and the doctor took this as the dismissal it was and made their way to the door of  
the darkened bedchamber. Zedd sighed and closed his eyes, letting himself drift. The pain would  
subside eventually, and he would get his strength back in time. It was just a waiting game. He was  
weak now, but there was no doubt that he would live, not with such a powerful lure to keep him  
alive... irevenge!/i  
  
pcenterThe End... for now. 


	6. Detour

ibDisclaimer:/b Skull, Lord Zedd, Kimberly, Tommy, Terra Venture, and various   
other things are the property of Saban. Most other stuff belongs to me./i  
  
pcenterDetour/center  
pcenterBy: SilvorMoon/center  
  
P Kimberly stared at the letter in her hand. It was written on her stationary, in her handwriting. It  
was signed with her name, with her usual signature flourish. She could tell that much, even just  
from looking at this Xeroxed copy of it. The horrifying thing was that ishe hadn't written  
it!/i Someone else had done it, and then had the audacity to give her this copy with a pink  
sticky note attached to it informing her that the original had already been delivered to its  
destination - specifically, to Tommy, back in Angel Grove. All she could do was stare in disbelief.  
How in the world could such a thing have occurred? Little did she realize that the cause had  
started over ten thousand years in the past...  
pcenter~*~/center  
P For the past few weeks, something had been bothering Skull. It hung over his head like a  
storm cloud, growing and darkening and muttering with thunder that grew more ominous day by  
day. It was not that he was unhappy on Tien - on the contrary, he was probably happier than he  
had ever been. Hemlock and Poplar had come to be like second parents to him, and Cedar was as  
good a friend as anyone could ask for. He had even befriended a few other Aerials, like the young  
man he had rescued from an Eccubus and some of the young soldiers that would drop by  
Hemlock's study delivering messages. His days were filled with interesting new sights as he  
explored the alien city and learned all he could about its people and culture. His days were busy,  
and he felt good about his work. Yes, he was entirely content with his lifestyle on Tien.  
Paradoxically, that was the problem. He was having the best time of his life, but soon, he knew,  
he was going to have to give it up.  
P Skull shuffled into his room and flopped down on his bed with a sigh. He had just returned  
from a flying trip, practicing new flying techniques with his dedicated teacher, Cedar. He was  
noticing improvements - at first, those excursions had left half the muscles in his body almost too  
stiff to move. Though the exercise still left him tired, he found that it was no longer painful.   
P Unfortunately, there was no longer any use for it, not with Lord Zedd out of the picture. There  
hadn't been an attack on Tien in over a month. How could there be, when the mastermind behind  
the battles was gone? True, there had been rumors that the fighting continued elsewhere, but  
those strikes were being led by Zedd's minions and not by the warlord himself. Without his  
guidance, the war was swiftly drawing to a close... which meant Skull's career as the Dark Falcon  
was over.   
P After a moment, Skull heard a tapping on his door.   
P "Eugene? You awake?"  
P "I'm awake. Come on in, Cedar."  
p The door swung slowly opened, and the young Aerial stepped daintily in, carrying a tray with  
an earthenware cup on it. She was dressed a bit finer than usual today, in a pale yellow dress with  
deeper gold trim, held at her waist with a white belt with a silver buckle set with a large piece of  
amber, the gem of choice on Tien. Her red-gold hair fell unrestrained past her waist. As always,  
she was accompanied by a faint perfume; after spending over ten thousand years as a cedar tree,  
the scent seemed to have attached itself to her permanently.  
P "Thought Eugene might be thirsty. Worked hard today," she chirped, offering him the cup.  
P "Thanks. That's nice of you," Skull replied, accepting the drink. It proved to be filled with  
purple juice, the product of some of his earlier labors. He couldn't cook anything that wasn't  
microwavable (and half the time he still got that wrong), but he was capable of helping squeeze  
berry juice without making too much of a mess. He sipped the sweet drink quietly while Cedar  
watched him with careful scrutiny in her sharp amber-colored eyes.  
P "Something wrong, Eugene? You look worried," she said.  
P "Yeah, kinda," answered Skull with a sigh. "I'm starting to think that... well, it might be time  
for me to leave."  
P "Leave?" Cedar replied. "You mean, to Terra Venture? But don't you like it here?"  
P "Oh, it's not like that," Skull hastened to assure her. "I love all you guys, I really do. This place  
is the greatest. I'd stay here forever if I could."  
P "But you could," said Cedar. "Mother and Father like you. They don't mind you staying here...  
and I would miss you very much if you left. You are very good friend, Eugene."  
P "Thanks," said Skull, blushing and smiling a little in spite of himself. "But this isn't really my  
home. I never really belonged here. My home is with my people, in my time. I've got friends  
waiting for me back there. Besides, my job is done. You really don't need me to stay here  
anymore. I just stayed because I couldn't let Zedd have Tien, but now that it's all over, I can't stay  
any longer. You understand, don't you?"  
p Cedar was quiet a moment. Then she nodded.  
P "I understand. Your heart belongs with your people, just as mine belongs to mine," she said. "I  
will not force you to stay. But... I can come visit a while, can't I?"  
P "Sure!" Skull agreed enthusiastically. "That'd be great!"  
P "Get your things ready, then," said Cedar. "I will tell Father where we are going, so they will  
not worry." With that, she turned and hurried away, perhaps a little more quickly than was polite.  
She couldn't help it, though. Despite what she knew in her heart, that it would be wrong to ask  
her friend to stay with her, it would not be easy to let him go.  
P Skull got up and began going through his things. He had brought very little with him when he  
came to Tien, only his clothes and the contents of his pockets, so there wasn't a lot to pack. A bit  
reluctantly, he changed out of his Tienese garb and put on his Earth costume - blue jeans,  
sneakers, faded tie-dyed T-shirt, and a black leather jacket. Though his new clothes were every bit  
as comfortable and practical, if not more so, and certainly more attractive, he thought they might  
cause a bit of a stir back in his own time and place. Wearing sneakers again felt odd - he'd been  
doing without shoes and socks for a long time, since the Aeriels tended to go barefoot in all but  
the coldest and wettest weather, and sometimes not even then. There weren't too many other  
things he felt he'd need to bring with him; surely Bulk and the Professor would see that he was  
taken care of. He did, however, keep his Firebird necklace firmly in place. He might never need it  
again, but still...  
P "bYou're thinking about me,/b" said a familiar voice.  
p Skull didn't even jump. It was, of course, the Firebird, and he had ceased to pay very much  
attention to the flaming avian's surprise visits. The bird had a great fondness for dramatics of all  
kinds, and Skull usually did his best to never seem surprised or impressed, no matter what the  
Firebird did. There was some unconscious part of him that still harbored distrust of the strange  
being, and he would sometimes find himself doing things just to spite the creature. This time, he  
only waited for a finely judged moment before turning to face his visitor.  
p "Oh, it's you. Hi, Firebird," he said. He went back to rummaging around in his closet,  
pretending to be looking for something.  
p The bird hovered in midair, doing a more than fair imitation of a radiant, blazing star,  
shimmering with all colors of the rainbow. Skull never even looked up. Finally, curiosity  
overcame the Firebird, and he swooped over to land on Skull's shoulder to watch his progress.  
p "bWhat are you doing?/b" he finally asked.  
P "Packing," Skull replied.  
P "bMay I ask what for?/b"  
P "Because I'm going home," Skull answered.  
P "bAhhhh!/b" said the Firebird with interest. "bWell, well, and very well!/b"  
P It was Skull's turn to be curious. "What are you 'well, well, well'-ing about?"  
P "bI am simply intrigued. Would it be too much of a bother if I were to tag along a bit? I am  
aware that you are from the future, and from Earth. I have never visited either of those places,  
and I harbor a good deal of curiosity as to what they are like./b"  
P "You can if you want to, I guess," Skull replied unenthusiastically, "but I'm not going to Earth.  
I'm going to Terra Venture."  
P "bNever heard of it./b"  
p "It's a space colony. We just built it... I mean, it will be just built when we get back to where I  
came from... or when I came from... or something," answered Skull. "Man, this time travel stuff is  
really confusing."  
P "bWhen you are an immortal, all times are Now,/b" said the Firebird loftily. "bBut be  
that as it may, I still think I would like to see your Terra Venture, and to keep you company for a  
while. I am sure it would do you good to have a friend nearby during your time of  
transition./b"  
P "Uh... yeah, sure, I guess," Skull replied.  
P "Eugene? Are you ready to go yet?" called Cedar's voice.  
P "Coming!" Skull replied. With the Firebird riding proudly on his shoulder, he headed  
downstairs. Cedar was waiting for him, the Crystal of All Times in one hand.  
P "Is he coming, too?" she inquired, staring at the Firebird. She didn't entirely trust him, either.  
He offered lots of good advice, true, but somehow, it always seemed to come out wrong. "What  
would your people think of him? Won't he frighten them?"  
P "bI can take care of myself,/b" answered the Firebird grandly. "bBesides, I am every  
bit as capable of assuming human form as you are, or becoming invisible, or disappearing  
completely if I choose. No one will see me if I do not want to be seen./b"  
P "I think he's made up his mind to come," Skull said.   
P "I suppose," said Cedar, not sounding at all thrilled with the idea. "Shall we go?"  
P "Not yet," Skull replied. "I mean, can we go outside for a little, first? I want to take one last  
look around before I go."  
p Cedar nodded her understanding, and they trooped out into the garden. Skull stood for a  
while, looking over all the familiar plants and rocks, the outside of the cozy house that had been  
his home all this time, at the roofs of other houses beyond this one, and at the tops of distant  
plateaus that crowned the tawny deserts beyond the city.   
P Little did he know that while he was looking at everything, something was looking at  
ihim/i.  
Pcenter~*~/center  
P Meanwhile, in a dark place far distant, at the end of a darkened hallway, behind a locked door,  
strange noises were emanating from within a long-silent room. First there came a metallic clang,  
then a thump, and lastly a long drawn-out scraping sound. Then there would be a pause, and then  
a repetition: clang, thump, scrape.   
p On the other side of the door, Lord Zedd was up and moving again at last. He had been  
inactive for weeks. For three days, he had remained unconscious in his bed, lost in a drug-fogged  
haze. Gradually, as the pain slackened off, his medications were curtailed, but he remained  
fuzzy-minded, unable to think clearly, and he was still too weak to move around very much. His  
doctors had been amazed to discover the full extent of the damage the accident had done to him.  
Beyond the obvious loss of nearly all his skin, he seemed to have been burned from the inside out  
as well; his skeleton was, for all practical purposes, destroyed, and his circulatory system was in  
such horrifying condition that it was surprising that he was still alive. He literally had no heart,  
now - it had been replaced by a pump, and there was now a system of clear plastic tubes snaking  
over his body in the place of veins and arteries. The truth was, he was now surviving on pure  
magical power. The doctors did all they could do, but the warlord was never going to completely  
recover. However, Zedd was determined that he would not let this mishap throw off his plans for  
universal domination. Postpone them, perhaps, but not destroy. It was only a matter of time, he  
told himself, as continued his trip around the room. He had been practicing walking for the last  
few days, and he was gradually getting the hang of it. His new skeleton, bits of metal attached to  
the outside of his body, worked differently than the old one on the inside, and many movements  
had to be practiced and relearned. His muscles had weakened, too, from long disuse, and he was  
having to rebuild his strength. Just walking required all his energy, even with his staff for support.  
It rang metallically as he thrust it at the floor ahead of him, then brought one foot up beside it,  
laboriously dragging the other behind. Clang, thump, scrape, a pause to catch his breath, and then  
he took another step.  
P After what felt like an eternity, he reached the far side of his room, where, by his own request,  
stood a full-length mirror shrouded by curtains. Reaching out one hand (newly tipped with sharp  
talons), he pulled the curtains aside and forced himself to stare at his reflection, accustoming  
himself to his new form. At first, he had been revolted by the sight of his own raw flesh, by the  
clear tubes that stood in lieu of proper veins and arteries as they pumped blood and the drugs he  
now needed just to survive though his body, and he had been unable to look at himself for more  
than a few seconds before turning away. Now he was actually getting used to it - even getting to  
like it, in a strange way. It made people afraid of him - ireally/i afraid of him, not just awed  
by his power and leery of his short temper. It was scary just looking at him, and he was willing to  
use that to his advantage. Even so, he couldn't help missing his old form a bit. On a whim, he  
waved his hand at the glass, watching its image shift to reflect a magical change: first to his true  
form, a perfectly ordinary humanoid man, then to the shape he had assumed most often in his  
former life. It was reassuring to know he could still take that form if he wanted to, but he no  
longer had the luxury of wasting magic on appearances, not when he needed it for much more  
vital purposes. He no longer knew how far it was safe to push himself before the expenditure of  
magic would reach unsafe levels, and his doctors had already informed him that he would  
probably have to be "recharged" from time to time to prevent his power supplies from running  
dangerously low. With a sigh, he let the illusions fade away. This new form would have to do,  
whether he liked it or not.  
p Back to his walking he went, determinedly thinking over his current situation to distract  
himself from the fact that it was still somewhat painful to be moving around. Things were not  
going well for him, and not just where his physical state was concerned. The Dark Falcon had  
been unsuccessful at killing him, but he had still accomplished his objective; the war had been  
going poorly before the accident, but now it seemed as if there would be no avoiding a total loss.  
His generals had been doing their best to carry on, but without coordinated guidance, even their  
best attacks were nowhere near as forceful as they would have been with proper planning. Many  
of his troops had broken ranks and fled. Even among those that remained, mutinous sentiments  
abounded. It was only a matter of time before his entire army fell apart, and he was currently in no  
position to do anything about it.  
P "Oh, blast that Dark Falcon and everything to do with him!" he muttered fiercely, as a fresh  
twinge of pain ran up one leg. "If I ever get my hands on him again, he'll regret the day he ever  
considered messing with me! I will make him pay for doing this to me! On my life, I swear it!"  
p "Perhaps I could help you arrange that," rasped a voice.  
p Zedd jumped and whirled to face the speaker - and nearly lost his balance as he did so; he still  
wasn't quite used to this new frame of his. He managed to recover himself and glare malevolently  
at whoever it was. At least his new mask was very good for malevolent glares.  
P His gaze was met by a sinister-looking bird that was perched like a vulture on the head of his  
bed, grinning at him, if a bird could grin. It had a bone white beak with serrated edges, like teeth,  
and its eyes were red and oddly catlike, strange to see set in an avian's head. It's feathers were  
ragged, colored in shades of midnight blue, black, and forest green, in no particular pattern, as if  
they had been pulled from a feather duster and glued to him at random. Black claws glistened, not  
only on its feet, but on the wings as well. Seeing that it had Zedd's attention, it fluttered down  
from its perch and landed lightly on the floor, executing a well-formed bow. For such a  
tawdry-looking creature, its movements were surprisingly graceful.  
p "How did you get in here?" Zedd growled.  
P "Through a rift in time-space," the bird replied casually. "I had heard that you were...  
inconvenienced, and I thought I might come and offer my services to you. I am a loyal servant.  
Send me wherever you want me to go. Ask me to kill, and your enemies will die by my hand. I  
can go anywhere, untraceably. I am called Chronavius. Have you not heard of me?"  
P "Yes... I do remember you, now that I think of it. You are an assassin by trade, is that not so?"  
P "More than just that. I am a master of doors. I can travel effortlessly through time and space.  
There is nowhere anyone can go where they can hide from me." The bird ruffled its feathers and  
looked smug.  
p "Can you find the Dark Falcon?"  
P "Easily."  
P "And destroy him?"  
P "He is as good as dead."  
P "I don't believe you," Zedd replied. "Look what he did to me! Are you saying that you are a  
greater warrior than your master?"  
P Chronavius withdrew into his feathers. "I never meant to imply that, your greatness. You were  
tricked by loathsome treacheries. In a fair fight, you would have decimated him. He deserves  
punishment for his impertinence. I wish only your permission to attempt to give him what he  
deserves. I do not believe myself as great a warrior as you, of course, but I do believe I am able to  
tilt the odds in my favor before any battles are fought."  
P "I tire of your voice," Zedd snapped. "Do whatever you feel like doing. I won't send anyone to  
bail you out if you get in trouble."  
p "Thank you, o my emperor," said Chronavius, bowing again. "I will disturb you no more,  
unless it is to deliver to you the head of the Dark Falcon." The bird grinned ferally again, and then  
vanished.   
P Zedd only sighed. Let the foolish thing kill itself if it wanted to. Zedd was determined that the  
Falcon would be destroyed, but he didn't believe anymore that it could be done by the ordinary  
means. No, it would require some careful, deliberate planning. Still, there was no harm in letting  
the brute try. If he succeeded, perhaps he would be the right person for the next job Zedd had in  
mind...  
pcenter~*~/center  
P "Okay, Cedar," said Skull at last. "Let's go."  
P Cedar nodded, trying to shrug off the uneasiness she was sensing. There was a funny feeling in  
the air, she thought, a sense that something was not quite as it should be, and she was tense with  
it. She shook her head. It was probably all in her head, a manifestation of her hidden wish that she  
didn't have to do this. She held the Crystal of All Times aloft, whispering words of power as she  
instructed it to carry herself and her companions across the borders of time and space.  
p Meanwhile, Chronavius observed the spell-casting with interest. How silly! They had to  
depend on a shiny rock to take them where they wished to be! All he needed to perform such a  
task was just to will himself there, and he viewed Cedar's spelling with disdain. Perhaps, he  
reflected, it would be fun to send her somewhere - or someIwhen/I else. Just as she was  
completing the final word of her spell, he launched himself from the roof and swooped down upon  
the threesome.  
P Firebird spotted the danger and shouted a warning, but it was too late. Skull didn't even see  
what was happening. All he knew was that something heavy and unpleasant-smelling abruptly  
crashed into him, knocking him off his feet, and then he was spinning, lost in light...  
pcenter~*~/center  
p When Skull came around again, he found himself standing on a sidewalk, surrounded by tall  
buildings of the kind he hadn't seen in weeks - multi-leveled shiny constructions of glass and metal  
and concrete. There was a street before him, and a few cars were muttering by, their drivers too  
intent on their destinations to pay attention to the strange young man with the glowing bird who  
had just manifested themselves. A few tacky Christmas lights dangled wherever anyone had found  
room for them. Skull stared around in amazement.  
P "Holey socks," he muttered. "I think we're on Earth!"  
P Firebird glanced around. "bI'd say that would be an accurate guess. Judging by the time  
flow of this area, I'd surmise that we have found your iwhere/i but missed your  
/iwhen/i./b"  
p "Huh?" Skull replied, baffled.  
P "bWe seem to be on Earth, but we're not in the time we were aiming for,/b" Firebird  
explained./b"  
P "Oh," said Skull. "When are we, then?"  
P "bI don't know. Why don't you ask... Uh-oh./b"  
p "Uh-oh?" Skull repeated. "I don't like it when you say 'uh-oh.' If you say that, something's  
igotta/i be wrong."  
P "bWell, I don't mean to upset you or anything; it isn't anything immediately dangerous,/b"  
Firebird replied. "bIt's just that I just looked around and I realized that Cedar isn't here  
anymore./b"  
P "WHAT?" shouted Skull in horror.  
P "bPlease, not in my ear!/b" Firebird replied.  
P "I'm not going to panic, I'm not going to panic," Skull muttered, sounding dangerously close  
to panicking. "Where could she be? How are we going to find her? I don't want to be stuck in the  
wrong time for the rest of my life!"  
P "bCalm down!/b" Firebird replied. "bShe's still in this city somewhere. I just can't tell  
exactly where. There's an energy in the air of this place that confuses my senses. If I didn't know  
better, I'd say a thunderstorm was coming. I feel lightning in the air./b"  
P "Electricity," said Skull distractedly. "So she is nearby somewhere? That's good. We'll be able  
to find her eventually, if she doesn't get into trouble..."  
P "bWhy don't you see about figuring where and when we are?/b" asked the Firebird,  
diverting Skull's attention from worrying about his friend.   
p "Okay," Skull agreed, looking around. "I think I see a newspaper machine thingy over there.  
It'll tell us where we are. Can you make yourself invisible, Firebird? I don't want people staring at  
me."   
P "bAs you wish,/b" Firebird replied, and abruptly blinked out of sight. Skull could still feel  
his warmth and the pricking of the bird's claws in his shoulders, but for all other purposes, the  
Firebird could have been gone.  
p Trying to look casual, Skull sauntered across the street to the newspaper vender and peered at  
it, trying to make out the title and date through the dirty plexiglass.  
p "iThe Miami Herald,/i" he read. "December 15, 1996. I think we missed Terra Venture  
by a few years."  
P Firebird didn't reply. Firebird wasn't even listening. Realizing that his partner wasn't answering,  
Skull glanced up at the Firebird. Incredibly, the bird was gaping at something, wide- eyed and  
slack-beaked. His attention was riveted by a dark haired young lady coming up the sidewalk,  
swinging shopping bags from both hands and singing Christmas carols to herself. Skull grinned as  
he recognized her.  
P "Kimberly!" he exclaimed.  
P Kimberly froze, her peaceful afternoon thrown suddenly awry by this unexpected greeting. Up  
until that moment, she had been returning to her comfortable little apartment after an afternoon of  
Christmas shopping, lighthearted with the joy of the season and thankful that her good-hearted  
coach had allowed her a day off to prepare for the upcoming holiday. She had managed to find  
gifts for almost everyone on her list. Presents for her parents and step-parents were already  
wrapped, resting comfortably in bags marked with the names and logos of exclusive stores,  
decorated with professional flourishes by the staff of those high-class vendors. Other trinkets were  
tossed in a jumble into other bags - less expensive, but chosen with care, each one certain to bring  
happy smiles to their recipients. Those were for her friends back home, and she preferred the  
personal touch for them.   
P The one thing that was disturbing her peace of mind up until that moment was the fact that she  
hadn't yet found a gift for Tommy. It wasn't that he was the only one she hadn't bought anything  
for yet. It was just that, well, he was still her boyfriend, and felt obligated to get him something  
special - even something extra-special, since they were so far apart this year. She had dutifully  
looked, but nothing seemed right. Everything was too frivolous or too ordinary or too expensive  
or... something, always something. It had been so easy last year, and it was frustrating that she  
couldn't make up her mind now. It was annoying.   
P Even more, it was downright distressing, because it only highlighted the other worries that had  
been preying on her mind. They were so far apart now, living on opposite sides of the country.  
When the Pan-Globals were over, it was entirely likely that she would be moving to France to be  
with her mother and stepfather, pulling her and Tommy further apart than before. How long was  
it possible to carry on such a long distance relationship? Sooner or later, they were either going to  
have to find a way to be with each other in person, or they were going to have to cut it off. In the  
meantime, it was hard keeping a commitment to him when he was thousands of miles away and  
there were plenty of perfectly friendly and attractive guys here in Florida who were offering to  
spend their time and money on her. Was it cheating if she went out with them? It wasn't that she  
didn't care about Tommy anymore. It was just that she got lonely sometimes, and she didn't enjoy  
living like a nun when she could be out socializing. Deep down inside, though, she wasn't sure she  
didn't trust herself not to lose her heart to someone else, and that made her feel guilty. The issue  
tore her in two. Sooner or later, she knew, she was going to have make a choice.  
P All that had been mulling around in the back of her brain as she jingle-belled her way down the  
street, hoping to make a relaxing end to her day with a quiet dinner and maybe a good book and a  
hot bath. Then, without warning, a familiar voice hailed her from the other side of the street, one  
that was so unanticipated that she had to stop and stare to make sure it was who she thought it  
was.  
P "Skull?" she said uncertainly.  
P "Yeah, Kim, it's me. Long time no see! How ya doing?" he answered, feeling very glad that he  
was at least not friendless here in this city. "I wasn't expecting to see you here!"  
P "Me neither," said Kimberly, still a little surprised. She walked across the street, partly to greet  
her old acquaintance properly, but mostly to reassure herself that she wasn't hallucinating.  
However, getting a closer look only confused her more.  
P Skull hadn't really noticed, but he had undergone a few changes while living on Tien. Spending  
hours out in the sun had tanned his formerly pale skin, making it better suit his dark hair and eyes,  
and a combination of healthy exercise and the largely vegetarian Tienese diet had made him  
stronger and more energetic than he had once been. On the whole, he looked and felt better than  
he had in years, but the changes had been so subtle and gradual that they had escaped his limited  
attention. The difference that struck Kimberly most, though, was something a little harder to pin  
down. It was marked on his face, but it could be seen mainly in his eyes. There was a kind of  
thoughtfulness there that she'd never seen before, as if all kinds of ideas and knowledge moving  
around behind those eyes that she could only guess at. She wondered what had happened to him  
to give him that look.  
P "You're looking good," she managed at last. "What are you doing here?"  
P "I... I'm visiting my aunt for the holidays," Skull replied, with only minimal hesitation. He was  
developing that most useful tool of a hero, the capacity for a quick white lie. "I was supposed to  
meet a friend of mine here, but I think she maybe got lost or something, because she's not here.  
You wouldn't have happened to see her somewhere, would you?" He gave Kimberly a quick  
description of Cedar's human form, since that was the shape she had last been in.  
P "No, I haven't seen her," answered Kimberly. "If I see her, though, I'll tell her where you are."  
p "Thanks, Kim," Skull said, a little disappointed.  
P "No problem," Kim replied. "Hey, sorry I can't stay longer, but I'm kind of in a hurry. I'll see  
you around, okay?"  
P "Okay," agreed Skull sincerely. As much as he would have liked a chance to talk a while with  
his old schoolmate, finding Cedar would have to be his first priority, and he wasn't entirely sure  
that could be done without making Kimberly suspicious or frightened or both. He could only  
imagine what she would do if she were to actually see the Firebird... who, he suddenly realized,  
was being suspiciously quiet. The bird would certainly not be stupid enough to speak aloud, but  
he should have at least been making remarks via telepathy. As Kimberly set off down the street  
once again, Skull surreptitiously prodded the bird with the odd feeling that it must have fallen  
asleep to be so quiet.  
P "bHmm? What? What?/b" said the Firebird dazedly. "bOh, hello. I forgot you were  
there... Who was that young lady you were talking to?/b"  
p "Oh, that was Kimberly," Skull replied. "I've known her for years. We went to school  
together."  
P "bShe is beautiful,/b" said the bird, mostly to himself. "bAbsolutely beautiful.../b"  
p *iIf birds could drool.../i* thought Skull irreverently.  
P "Don't get any ideas," he said. "Kim's got a boyfriend. She's not going to leave him anytime  
soon. Ask me, I know."  
p "bWhat is he? A human?/b" Firebird asked scornfully.  
p "Of course he's human! What else would he be?" Skull answered.  
p "bShe'll forget him eventually if he's human,/b" said the Firebird with certainty. "bShe  
will eventually meet one of her own kind, and she will lose interest in her human  
divertissement./b"  
P "Own kind?" Skull repeated. "Are you trying to say Kimberly isn't human? You've lost your  
marbles. If she weren't human, someone would have figured it out by now. Tommy would have  
known, wouldn't he?"  
P "bWho's Tommy?/b" asked the Firebird.  
p "That's the title of a musical, I think," Skull muttered to himself. Before the bird could ask him  
about that, he told it, "Tommy's her boyfriend, back in Angel Grove. She met him at the Youth  
Center a few years ago, and they've been together ever since."  
p "bInteresting, but irrelevant,/b" said the Firebird, after a moment of thought. "bAnd  
you are wrong about your friend. She does not belong among humans. She is a Firebird, a female  
Firebird, the first I have seen in over a thousand years. I have to meet her.../b"  
P "No," Skull cut in firmly. "We are going to find Cedar, and then we are going to get out of  
here. You don't need to be annoying Kimberly." As an afterthought, he added, "She'd probably  
scream if she saw you, anyway."  
p "bYou look for your woman, and I'll look for mine,/b" said the Firebird tartly.  
P "Okay," said Skull, feigning unconcern. "All right. I'll find Cedar all by myself."  
P "bGood. I'm glad you see things my way./b"  
P "And then I'll tell her to use the Crystal of All Times to send you to some planet where there's  
nothing but water, and you'll have to fly over the ocean until you get tired and fall in."  
p Skull felt the Firebird wince. "bOh, all right. I'll help. You don't have to be so cross about it,  
though. Humph, you aren't so smart yourself. You don't know what you are, either." There was a  
click, as if the bird had abruptly shut his beak on something he hadn't meant to say, but Skull  
didn't catch it.  
p "Fine. We'll split up," Skull decided. "I'll look around the streets, and you check from the air in  
case she's decided to be a bird."  
p "bAll right, I agree,/b" answered the Firebird amiably. "bI'll be off, then. See you  
shortly./b" There was a rush of warm wind as the bird pumped his wings and flew away,  
leaving Skull on his own. With a sigh, Skull pressed his hand to his necklace for reassurance and  
set off down the street.  
pcenter~*~/center  
p Cedar looked around her in panic, momentarily overwhelmed by all she was seeing. She  
was surrounded by towering buildings, and, alone as she was, she could not fight down her avian  
fear of being caught in a small space with no room to fly. She leaned against a wall, panting a little  
in fright, trying to still her heart and get her thoughts organized.  
p After a few moments, she calmed down enough to think rationally again, and it was then  
that she was finally able to realize, or remember, where she was. She was in a city, such as the one  
she had visited with Ashley, where she had first met Eugene. Since they had been trying to reach a  
human habitation anyway, she shouldn't have been surprised to see something like this.   
p The larger problem, of course, was the matter of finding Eugene. He had been with her  
when she started, and she had been careful to include him and the Firebird, but now they weren't  
here. Where had they gone? She remembered, now, the feeling of some kind of powerful impact  
just as the spell had gone into effect, and hadn't she heard the Firebird shouting? Had something  
interfered with her spellcasting that had separated her from her companions? That was a logical  
explanation, but it wasn't an especially comforting idea. Time-space travel was complicated; if the  
spell had misfired, Eugene could be Ianywhere!/i So could the Firebird, for that matter, but  
she could be excused for not worrying about him. He was perfectly capable of taking care of  
himself if he had to, but her Eugene could be so easily confused and misled. He could be in  
danger, and she needed to be there for him. Glancing this way and that, Cedar checked to see if  
there were any other humans in the vicinity. Satisfied that there were none, she decided that it was  
safe to shape-shift, and she prepared to transform and search for her friend from the air.  
P "Well, hello, my pretty bird!" said an unpleasant voice in sugar-poison tones.  
P Cedar jumped, whirling around in search of the voice.  
P "Who's there?" she quavered.  
P "It is I, Chronavius," answered the voice. "I am very pleased to make your acquaintance,  
madame Gold Eagle."  
p As Cedar watched, a lumpy shape, which she had taken for a pile of garbage, shuffled out  
of an alley, grinning at her. She had never seen such an ugly bird, or such an evil-looking one. He  
grinned at her with his jagged-edged beak and winked one crimson eye.  
p "How did you know who I am?" asked Cedar, more suspicious than frightened.  
p "I know many things, pretty bird," it answered. "I know that you are the Dark Falcon's  
partner. I need to find him. You are going to take me to him... or I will take you apart bit by bit."  
p "Never!" Cedar replied. She tried to shift to bird-form and escape, but Chronavius already  
had his wings ready for use, and he leaped at her and dragged her down. There was a frantic  
scuffle that tossed up clouds of dark and light feathers as Cedar tried to fight and shape-shift at  
the same time. Unfortunately, Chronavius had the upper hand from the beginning, and his greater  
bulk and strength put her at a severe disadvantage. Realizing she would never win this contest of  
strength, Cedar made a desperate grab for her amulet and cried out the word that would provoke  
her transformation to someone with a bit more going for her.  
p Chronavius was suddenly surprised by a wave of heat as flames seemed to engulf the small  
creature he was grappling with. He reeled back, fearing for his feathers, unsure whether or not  
they were flammable. By the time he had recovered his wits and reassessed the situation, he was  
almost too late to witness the sight of a sleek golden bird surging upwards into the sky, feathers  
flashing in weak winter sunshine. Gathering his strength, Chronavius leaped into the air and began  
to pursue her.  
pcenter~*~/center  
P While his human companion searched earnestly for Cedar, the Firebird was attending to  
what he considered to be a more vital task: the courting of the lovely young Firebird-woman he  
had just encountered. He had not been lying to Skull when he said it had been centuries since he  
had last seen a female of his kind. He had made the mistake of marrying the last one he had  
encountered, a move that had nearly been his undoing. He would be more careful this time.  
Marriage had been unwise; he would not be so serious this time. A dalliance, that would be all. It  
shouldn't be hard, for how could she fail to be awed by his beauty and power? Such were the  
Firebird's thoughts as he soared down the streets in pursuit of his new interest.  
P Moment's later, Kimberly was very surprised by a multicolored glowing bird abruptly  
manifesting itself in front of her. She shrieked and jumped backwards, and the bird gave an  
involuntary flutter of dismay. That wasn't the reaction he had been expecting!   
P "bCalm yourself, my lady! I mean you no harm. I apologize if I startled you,/b" he  
said.  
p Kimberly stared at him, her eyes narrowed with puzzlement and suspicion.  
p "What the heck are you supposed to be? Some kind of parrot or something?" she asked  
him.  
p "bI am no such thing,/b" said the Firebird, briefly offended. Then he remembered that  
he was dealing with a woman raised among humans, and she had probably never seen a true  
Firebird, poor thing. He would have to educate her. "My dear, I am a Firebird - Ithe/I  
Firebird, Fenikus. I am honored to make your acquaintance./b" He executed a clever bow, still  
hovering in midair.  
P "Um," said Kimberly, looking all around her. "Is this one of those TV shows with the  
hidden cameras, or are you really-and-truly a talking bird?"  
p "bI do not know what a camera is,/b" answered the Firebird, "bbut I can assure  
you that I am truly a Firebird./b"  
p "Firebird," Kimberly repeated. Images flitted briefly across her mind, memories dating  
back to the days when she had been the Pink Ranger, battling evil with the help of her swift,  
beautiful Firebird Thunderzord. She could easily believe that it had been inspired by this glowing  
being that hovered before her, watching her with strange hypnotic eyes. She let her gaze meet his  
and, for the briefest instant, she thought she felt something, the briefest flicker of electricity  
moving through her. She wasn't at all sure she liked the feeling.  
p "Okay, okay," she said, "I believe you're a Firebird. So what? My Ranger days are over.  
I'm done with magic. All I want is to live a nice, quiet, ordinary life. Kat is the Pink Ranger now.  
Talk to her if you're looking for adventures."  
p "bI am not interested in cats, my lady,/b" answered the Firebird. "bI am interested  
in my own kind, and in you in particular. You might enjoy the kind of adventure I am  
offering./b"  
p Kimberly winced; she didn't like the tone she heard in his voice. She'd heard it from plenty  
of slimy guys, accompanied by wolf whistles and sly compliments. She decided that, for all his  
otherworldly beauty and charming words, this Firebird was probably in the same league.  
p "Sorry, but I'm not in the market," Kimberly replied. "I've got a boyfriend already, and that  
means I don't have any room in my life for you. Go find someone else to annoy."   
P With that, she shoved the Firebird out of her way and continued along the sidewalk. The  
Firebird was so shocked he could hardly understand what had happened. He had been refused!  
P "Hmm..." he said thoughtfully. "This boyfriend of hers is causing more trouble than I had  
expected. Perhaps I will have to find a way to remove him..."  
pcenter~*~/center  
P Unnoticed by the people in the busy streets of Miami, a deadly aerial battle was taking  
place high above their heads. Shrieking threats at each other as they swooped and gyrated through  
the maze of buildings, Chronavius and Cedar were having a trial of speed and agility. Chronavius  
looked more like a molting crow than a war bird, but he was surprisingly strong and clever.  
However, the smaller and more streamlined Gold Eagle was meant for swiftness and acrobatics,  
and she could reach greater heights with less effort than her pursuer. They looped, dodged, dove  
at each other with ear-piercing battle cries, slashing at each other with their sharp talons before  
veering away again in a flurry of feathers. Cedar attempted to press her altitude advantage,  
climbing above the tops of the towering buildings to dive at the monstrous bird with deadly speed  
and accuracy, attempting to throw him out of the sky. He countered with quick reflexes and  
superior strength, absorbing her blows and snatching at her throat and wings as she tackled him,  
wrestling he in midair until she escaped to attack again. The air rang with the sound of screaming  
eagles.  
p A man on the street half-heard the noise and sighed in resignation. "Cat fight," he  
muttered.   
p "What did you say?" asked a dark-haired teenager in a faded tie-dyed T-shirt.  
P The man shrugged. "That noise. Sounds like cats fighting. Kind of annoying, if you ask  
me. Someone ought to do something about these strays - throw 'em in the pound or something.  
They shouldn't be allowed to disrupt people's peace and quiet like this."  
P The teenager wasn't listening - not to the man, anyway. He was attending to the sound,  
which he realized was coming from above. Scanning the skies, he was just in time to catch a  
glimpse of a brightly glowing bird and a much larger, darker shape locked in mortal combat a  
hundred feet off the ground.  
p "Oh, man!" he cried in dismay. "That's Cedar!"  
p "Huh?" said the man. He, too, looked up. "Great Scott! What in blue blazes are those  
things? Someone should call the police or something! Hey, I'll get you a quarter if you'll go find a  
phone booth... Young man? Where did you go?"  
p He looked all around, but the young man had mysteriously vanished.  
Pcenter~*~/center  
P Kimberly was naturally a bit disturbed by her encounter with that strange talking bird, but  
over the last few years, she had developed the equanimity to take almost anything in  
stride. If she had been asked, she would have said there wasn't much of anything left that could  
shock her, but that was before she got to know the Firebird and the Dark Falcon.  
P As a matter of fact, other than a brief moment of surprise at having the bird materialize  
before her so unexpectedly, her meeting with the Firebird hadn't shaken her all that much. She had  
seen more monsters than she cared to remember, and had been on good terms with wizards,  
robots, and shapeshifting cats, so why be amazed at the appearance of a talking bird? To her, it  
was just more of the same - perhaps a bit late in her career, but certainly nothing to worry about.   
Truth be told, it was her reaction to meeting Skull again that was preying on her mind. That was  
strange, when she thought about it. Anyone else would have been at least a little bit unnerved by  
meeting a fire entity on the streets of Miami, especially one making the kind of veiled proposals  
the Firebird had made, but she could put all that out of her mind. It had been out of her control,  
none of her doing, just one of those weird things that happened on occasion. What really bothered  
her was the way she had treated the perfectly ordinary human being who had come to her looking  
for help. She hadn't exactly been kind to him, after all. If it had been Billy or Adam or almost any  
of her old schoolmates, she would have gladly put aside what she was doing to help hunt for their  
missing friend. It wasn't as if she had something she needed to be doing; today was her day off!  
She had all the time in the world to be of help, but instead she had brushed poor Skull off with a  
lie. She felt guilty, now, imagining him wandering through the unfamiliar streets alone. Why had  
she done that to him? True, she had never liked him much before, but that was mostly because  
he'd usually been rude to her and was often up to no good. This time he had been perfectly polite  
to her, honestly glad to see her, and in need of real help. IShe/i was the one who had been  
rude to Ihim!/I  
P"I'll go back," she decided. "I'll put this stuff in my room and then I'll go back to him, and if he's  
still there, I'll help him. After all, he is a friend, sort of. What kind of Power Ranger am I, not  
helping my friends when they need me?"  
pShe entered the lobby of the apartment building where she currently lived and waited patiently for  
an elevator. She could, if she chose, have lived in the dormitories used by other trainees at Coach  
Schmidt's compound, but as long as her parents were willing to help pay her rent, she enjoyed her  
independence. The elevator reached the ground floor and announced it's arrival with a soft  
Iping/I, and the doors opened. She got into the empty cubicle and rode up one, two, three,  
four, five, six, seven, eight levels to get off at the ninth floor. Elevators were a wonderful  
invention, she mused. Yes, she knew it was healthier to climb the stairs, but after a long day of  
shopping and thinking, she was physically and mentally exhausted, and nine flights of stairs were  
something she didn't feel like contending with. Well, it would be nice to put down these heavy  
shopping bags, and then...  
PHer thoughts were cut off in an instant as her gaze was caught by a bright and familiar light.  
There, sitting casually on her desk, was the Firebird, looking insufferably smug.  
P"What are you doing in my room?" she demanded angrily. "I thought I told you to go away!"  
P"bI did go away,/b" said the bird placidly. "bI came here. And to answer your first  
question, I've been writing letters./b"  
p"Letters?" Kimberly repeated, confused.  
p"bYes indeed. It has been pointed out to me that you are inconveniently possessed of a  
boyfriend. I have arranged for him to be removed from your life./b"  
P"You did what?" cried Kimberly angrily. "Are you nuts? What are you trying to pull?"  
P"bYou don't need a boyfriend anymore. I'm here now./b" answered the Firebird. "bThat  
being the case, I sent him a very nice letter in your name, informing him that you've met someone  
else and no longer need him. It's already been delivered, but I arranged to have a copy made. You  
may peruse it, if you like, but I don't think you really need it./b"  
P"Why you...!" Kimberly shouted. "You little creep, you have no right to do this to me!"  
P"bI have every right,/b?" Firebird replied. "bTrust me, this is for your own good./b"  
P"What do you know about what's good for me?" asked Kimberly, still outraged.  
P"bI know what is best for Firebirds from personal experience. You shouldn't deny your  
nature,/b" said the Firebird. "bHowever, if you are uncomfortable with seeing me in this  
form, I am fully capable of taking on human form. Observe./b"  
PThere was a brief fiery flash, and the Firebird abruptly seemed to vanish. In his place was a human  
male, perhaps a bit older than Kimberly. She winced - not because he wasn't good looking, but  
because he was, very. If she had just seen him on the street, without knowing who and what he  
was, she wouldn't have been able to take her eyes off of him. Even as it was, she was having a  
hard time getting her eyes to obey her mind. He was dressed entirely in white, as pure and brilliant  
as his feathers had been, showing off his tanned skin, and his shirt was evidently designed and cut  
for the sole purpose of displaying the muscles on his arms and chest. His eyes were still a brilliant  
blue-green, fathomless and hypnotic.   
P"Does this form please you better, my dear?" he asked gently. There was both strength and music  
in it, and it penetrated her mind and wrapped around her thoughts, making it hard to concentrate  
on anything else. "If there is anything at all that displeases you, it can be changed. For you, I will  
be anything and do anything. I can be your dream come true, if you let me. There is nothing I  
cannot make possible for you. Say you'll be mine, and you will never want for anything ever  
again."  
PKimberly struggled with herself, feeling that she was being caught in trap and unsure she could  
escape. She stared at the letter that still rested benignly on the table. Everything had been taken  
care of for her. The Firebird had done it, taken away the source of her worries and set her free.  
She could do anything she wanted, now, and he could make it all happen. He put out one hand to  
gently touch her cheek, and the fire it sent rushing through her blood was unlike anything she'd  
ever known before. It would be so easy, so easy, just to be with him and forget everything else...  
pThere was a sudden screech outside her window, yanking her thoughts forcibly away from that  
avenue, and she jumped away from the window - and the Firebird - staring wildly at the indistinct  
shapes that rushed by. In that instant, the spell was broken, and she was herself again. She glared  
furiously at the Firebird. Out of his influence, she was seeing him again for what he truly was.  
Beautiful he may have been, but that was all he was. Beneath the surface, he was still selfish,  
arrogant, and foolish, and she wanted no part of him.   
P"Nice try," she said, "but you aren't going to catch me that easily."  
PThe Firebird, for his part, seemed rather distracted, not to mention dismayed.  
P"Oh, dear," he muttered. "Monsters have such foul timing. I suppose I'm going to have to go see  
what's happening. Have no doubts, lovely lady, I will return. I am nothing if not persistent. You  
will succumb eventually, and be the happier for it. Until we meet again..." There was a shimmer of  
light, and he was suddenly gone.  
P"Man, what a weird day," said Kimberly. She looked out the window, searching for whatever it  
was that had shocked her out of her trance, but it seemed to be gone. "Oh, well. Guess I'd better  
start looking for Skull."  
PTossing on a light jacket against the chill - even Miami could get cool on late December evenings  
- she headed out of her room. She locked the door securely, as if she thought it might prevent the  
Firebird from returning, and then headed for the elevator. It took a moment for it to reach the  
lobby, and she occupied the time with idle thoughts.  
P*II wonder if that Firebird really did see a monster? I hope Skull doesn't run into it. If he did,  
he'd probably faint clean away./I*  
pcenter~*~/center  
P Skull gazed with worried eyes at the fight that waged on above his head. Cedar had  
chosen to end her erratic course for now, and was instead simply circling a single high-rise  
apartment building. It was causing quite a commotion, and everyone to policemen to wildlife  
experts to tabloid newspaper reporters were speculating wildly as to what was going on and  
trying to get in on the action. Concerned security guards were trying to herd the building's  
occupants out into the streets.  
P Meanwhile, Cedar was beginning to get tired. She ached from scrapes and bruises she had  
earned in her swift encounters with her enemy, and her strength was starting to give out. She  
struggled to draw enough oxygen into her overworked lungs to fuel further flight, but exhaustion  
was beginning to take its toll. She knew she couldn't keep this up much longer.  
P "Give up, Gold Eagle!" shouted Chronavius. "I have you beaten, and you know it!  
Surrender, and help me destroy your partner, and I'll spare your wretched life. Perhaps his  
majesty, Lord Zedd will be willing to let you serve him. I'm sure he could find uses for a girl as  
strong and beautiful as you."  
P "Stow it, mangy monster!" Cedar gasped. "I'll never betray the Dark Falcon or my  
people!"  
P "Then you will die!" Chronavius replied.  
P He wheeled abruptly in midiar, swooping around and up, placing him behind and above his  
prey. Cedar cast about wildly for an escape route, but she was too tired, slowing down...  
p Skull watched in horror. As Cedar fell, her stricken scream was echoed in his own throat.  
P Chronavius snatched up Cedar's limp form and carried her to the roof of the apartment  
building to inspect it. He plucked a feather from one wing and held it over her beak, and was  
rewarded by the sight of a faint stirring of breath. It seemed she was tougher than she thought,  
still clinging to life. He shoved her into a corner before shuffling up to the edge of the roof and  
peering down on the gathered crowds.  
P "Dark Falcon!" he shouted. "If you can hear me, listen well! Your partner yet lives, and  
you still have a chance to save her. Surrender now, and no more harm will come to her. If you  
will not surrender, you can fight me for her, and suffer the same fate. I have given you your  
chance."  
p There were murmurs in the crowd. Who or what could a Dark Falcon be? What was going  
on? They had all heard of monsters and Power Rangers on television and read about them in the  
morning papers, but none of them had ever really expected something like this to happen in their  
own home city. Now, all eyes were turned uncertainly to the sky, wondering what was going to  
happen next. They took no notice of a lanky teenager as he slipped inconspicuously through the  
building's front doors, clutching an enameled silver amulet. Chronavius did, though, and he  
grinned his triumph.  
P Meanwhile, Kimberly was just getting off the elevator, not knowing the full extent of the  
chaos that had been going on around her. She was very surprised, therefore, when Skull suddenly  
burst through the doors and nearly collided with her.  
P "Yow!" she yelped, jumping backwards in surprise. "Oh, Skull, it's just you! I was just  
going to look for you. Did you find your friend?"  
P "Um, yeah, kinda," Skull replied distractedly. "Kim, you'd better get out of here - there's a  
monster hanging around the building, and no one knows what he's doing."  
p "What are Iyou/I doing?" asked Kimberly, a little concerned. Skull was the last  
person she would have expected to be hanging around when a monster was on the loose.  
P "I've got to get to the roof," answered Skull grimly. "My friend is up on the roof."  
P "You can't do that!" Kimberly cried. "What do you think you're going to do against a  
monster?"  
p "That's right!" rasped a voice. "What are you going to do about me?"  
P Kim and Skull both spun in place to see Chronavius leering at them as he stood before the  
doors.   
P "You'd be surprised," Skull muttered, answering both Kimberly and the monster. Turning  
to Chronavius, he said, "All right, monster. Tell me what you've done with Cedar, or you're going  
to be in big trouble!"  
P "Don't worry about her. She's perfectly safe. I have her right here!" answered Chronavius.  
He made a gesture with one hand, producing what looked like an electric birdcage. A bright shape  
could be seen lying very still in the bottom of the cage.  
P "What did you do to her?" Skull demanded.  
P "I've put her out of the way," said Chronavius simply. "I repeat, surrender to me, and she'll  
be returned to you safely... or, if you prefer, you can battle me for her."  
P "I'm not surrendering."  
P "Skull," said Kimberly quietly, "what's going on?"  
P "Not now, Kim," answered Skull. "I'll see if I can explain later."  
P "You're a fool not to surrender straight away," Chronavius said, "but if you want to fight  
me, be my guest. Begin!"  
P He made the cage vanish again, and then dove at Skull. Both humans dove in different  
directions, and the bird just barely avoided crashing into the wall. He paused a moment to get his  
bearings.  
p Skull turned to Kimberly and said, "Kim, you aren't going to believe anything that happens  
next, so would you please do me a favor and pretend you're dreaming all of this?"  
P "What?" asked Kimberly, thoroughly confused.  
P Instead of answering, Skull put his hand to his necklace pendant and shouted the  
transformation word: "IFirebird!/I"  
P "Firebird? What's the Firebird got to do with..." Kimberly began. The rest of the sentence  
was cut off as the Skull she knew was suddenly surrounded by lights and then replaced by a  
warrior in black and red armor.  
P "Um... okay, I get it," said Kimberly dazedly. "I've got to be hallucinating."  
p Skull grinned. "Thanks, Kim. I knew I could count on you!"  
P "I knew it!" Chronavius crowed. "You Iare/I the Dark Falcon! Well, well, well! I'm  
pleased to meet you at last! Let's see how well the dark lord of the sky is up to fighting in a small  
room! I can manage it. How about you?"  
P "I'd rather not," Skull replied. "Come on, Kim, we're out of here!" So saying, he turned  
and ran for the steps. Bewildered, Kimberly trailed behind.   
P As soon as they made it through the door, Skull turned and pointed his laser at the  
doorknob, melting the lock.  
P "Maybe that'll hold him for a while," he muttered, as he began to dash up the stairs.   
p "I hope so," Kimberly replied. "So, what are we going to do?"  
P "We're going to the roof," answered Skull.  
P "Okay, all right. That makes sense," said Kimberly, trying to hold on to her sanity. "What  
are we going to do once we get to the roof?"  
P "We're going to jump off."  
p "Jump off?" repeated Kimberly in shock. "Um, Skull, I know this situation is kind of  
desperate and all, but isn't that a little extreme?"  
P "Just trust me," Skull replied.  
p Kimberly stared at him suspiciously. "Who are you, and what have you done with the real  
Skull?"  
P "Sometimes I wish I knew," answered Skull with a sigh.  
P They continued running, panting a little from the exertion.  
P "Couldn't we have taken the elevator?" Kimberly complained.  
P "How many movies have you seen where the bad guy cuts the elevator cable?" asked  
Skull.  
P "Oh. Good point."  
p At that moment, there was a sudden explosion at the bottom of the staircase, followed by  
a triumphant shriek and the pumping of wings.  
P "He's coming after us!" shouted Skull.  
p "But we're almost there!" Kim replied.  
P Chronavius flapped up behind him, screaming a victory cry. Skull paused in his running  
long enough to whip out his laser and fire a few rounds at the approaching avian. There was a  
scream of inhuman pain and a smell of scorched feathers, and then a series of thumps and  
squawks as the monster began to tumble down nine flights of stairs. Kimberly couldn't help but  
giggle at its plight as she reached the door that led out onto the roof. Skull followed up behind  
her, grinning.  
p "That takes care of him, for now," he replied. "He'll be back soon, though... Look, there  
he goes!"  
P Kimberly looked down. Far below her, she could make out a dark form sculling through  
the air, and the crowds parted on either side of it, giving it plenty of leeway. It gave its wings a  
few powerful flaps, gaining altitude, obviously heading for the observers on the roof.  
P "We've got to get out of here," said Skull.  
p "We aren't really going to jump off the roof, are we?" asked Kim fearfully. "Even you  
aren't that crazy, right?"  
p "Who's crazy?" Skull replied. "It's not crazy to jump off the roof when you can fly."  
p "Skull, what are you talking abou-"  
P Before Kimberly could finish asking her question, Skull reached for the handles on his  
backpack and pulled, unfurling his purple wings. Kimberly stared in amazement.  
p "Okay, never mind," she said.  
P "Wings come in handy, sometimes," said Skull. "You're going to have to ride on my back,  
though. I don't think I can carry you and fight at the same time."  
p "Oh, no, you're not getting me to fly!" said Kimberly, backing away.  
p "You want to stay up here and maybe get eaten by that buzzard thing?" asked Skull. "Just  
trust me! I know almost exactly what I'm doing."  
p "That's really comforting," Kimberly said sarcastically.   
p There was a sudden rush of wings, and Chronavius landed on the roof with them.  
P "Well, well! We meet again," he said. "Give up now, Falcon, and I'll make your  
destruction easy!"  
p "Forget it, vulture," Skull replied. "Come on, Kim. We gotta get out of here."  
P "I'm right with you," she said. She hurriedly scrambled onto his back, piggy-back style. It  
was awkward, but they had more important things to worry about. "You've done this before,  
right?"  
p "Nope, never," said Skull. "Hang on tight!"  
P Taking a running start, the Dark Falcon leaped from the roof and dropped like a stone,  
diving at breakneck speed toward the pavement. Kimberly screamed in terror, instantly convinced  
that they were both about to become smudges on the pavement.   
P "Shut up!" said Skull through clenched teeth. "I'm trying to concentrate here!"  
P Kimberly's mouth shut with a snap. In the next second, the Dark Falcon's purple wings  
were spread wide to catch the air, and the plummet turned to a swoop, and then a climb, and they  
glided together down the street, as the crowds watched in amazement.  
P "Hey, we Iare/I flying!" Kimberly said. "This is pretty cool!"  
P "I know," said Skull grinning, reminded of his own first experience with free-flight. "Can  
you help me navigate while you're up here? I don't know my way around. Is that bird thing  
following us?"  
P Kimberly turned back and looked. "Yeah, he's there."  
p "Okay, guess it's time to see what I've really learned from Cedar," Skull replied. "Hold on,  
Kim. You're going for the ride of your life."  
p So saying, Skull abruptly shifted direction, flapping his purple wings in a desperate  
attempt to gain altitude. Chronavius saw the change in speed and direction and responded in kind,  
rising up in pursuit. Skull looked around frantically in a desperate attempt to find what he was  
looking for. He saw it sooner than he expected - a little too soon. He wasn't high enough, not  
moving fast enough. He wouldn't be able to move fast enough if he couldn't build up more speed.  
He changed direction again, intending to buy himself a little more space as he circled the block.  
P "Higher, higher, higher," he muttered.  
P "He's gaining on us!" cried Kimberly.   
P "Not for long!" Skull replied, spinning around a corner. His goal was back in sight again: a  
narrow alleyway directly in front of him. Even as he was inwardly rejoicing at the sight, he felt  
something snatch at his heels, and Kimberly yelped.  
P "I've got you now, Dark Falcon!" snarled Chonavius.  
P "That's what you think!" Skull replied.  
P In the next instant, the Dark Falcon had suddenly dropped out of sight - literally! He was  
now diving in true falcon style for the crack between the two buildings, trading height for speed,  
just as Cedar had taught him. The monster was only stunned for a fraction of a moment, and then  
he was diving after his prey. There was no way, he thought, that the wide-winged Falcon would  
really try to fly through that narrow gap. If he tried it, his wings would snap, and he would be sent  
plunging to the ground. He was too smart for that. He would turn away, and then Chronavius  
would have him.   
P Just then, Skull reached the alley, and he did something unexpected. Giving one final,  
mighty flap, he folded his wings close to his sides and shot through the passage like an arrow from  
a bow. Chronavius, startled, couldn't stop himself fast enough, and he smacked into the sides of  
the buildings, and he cried out as his delicate wings snapped backwards unnaturally. Skull, on the  
other hand, reached the far side safely, swooped up into the air a short ways, and then dropped  
lightly onto the pavement.  
P "You can get down now," he said to Kimberly. The wild ride had left her clinging to his  
neck with a death grip.  
p Kimberly got slowly down, shaking a little.   
p "I take back every bad thing I ever said about you," she said.  
p "Not now, Kim. We've still got a monster to deal with," answered Skull. "Look!"  
P At the far end of the alley, Chronavius was painfully and laboriously dragging himself to  
his feet. One wing was hanging oddly, perhaps broken, and he was panting. He looked up at Skull  
with a desperate expression in his red cat-eyes.  
p "Well?" Skull inquired. "What are you going to do?"  
P "I'll destroy you for this!" hissed the creature. "Somehow, I'll make you pay for hurting  
me! Even if it's the last thing I do, I'll get you!"  
p "We don't have to fight, you know," said Skull. "Just give Cedar back, and this can end  
peacefully."   
p No one could have told just by listening, but he was fighting to keep his voice level. The  
Dark Falcon wasn't afraid of monsters or narrow escapes, but Skull was, and it was an eternal  
struggle to keep his calm alter-ego in the forefront. It was one thing when it was just him against  
the villain - what loss was it to the world if something happened to him? - but when he was  
holding another person's life in his hands, knowing that one false move could kill them both...  
even with all his past experiences, it still rattled his nerves.   
P *iI never wanted to do this again!/i* he thought, feeling his grip on his emotions  
slipping.  
P A hand rested lightly on his shoulder, and a soft voice spoke.   
p "Give it up," said Kimberly. "Look at you! You can't fight the way you are. Give up and  
leave quietly, and you won't get hurt."  
p The creature looked at them both for a moment. Then he sighed, making his dark feathers  
ruffle.  
p "I underestimated you, Dark Falcon. I admit, I did not take enough precautions. You've  
beaten me fairly," Chronavius rasped. "You are truly worthy to call yourself a hero. I will let you  
have your prize." He made a gesture, and a crackle of lights shot from his uninjured wing,  
resolving themselves into Cedar's limp form, resting silently on the dirty pavement. Skull rushed  
to her side, trying to remember if he knew some way of telling if a person was alive or not.  
p "She is only sleeping," said the monster. "She will awaken soon. Now I will take my leave  
of you. I thank you for your mercy, Dark Falcon. It's been wasted, but I thank you." He looked at  
Skull with narrowed eyes and an oblique glance. "I think you should be warned, there's trouble in  
store for you. You think you're out of danger, but you're not." With that, the bird abruptly  
vanished in a cloud of muddy green colored light.  
P Skull collapsed then and there, completely drained of energy. It had been a rough  
day! Now that he was out of danger, it was all he could do not to faint entirely. He just  
hadn't been prepared for this! He whispered the words of regression that put him back to his  
ordinary human self and leaned against the side of a building. Kimberly sat down next to him and  
looked sympathetic.  
P "You okay?" she asked.  
p "Fine," answered Skull tiredly. "Thanks for helping me. You don't know how much I  
needed that."  
p "You were really brave."  
p "I was scared stiff. I really hate doing this. Sometimes I wish I'd never gotten into the  
hero business... Man, I could have gotten you killed!"  
P "It's okay. Stuff like that happens," Kimberly replied. Taking a deep breath, she added, "I  
never liked fighting monsters much, either. I got scared a lot, too."  
p "You did what?" asked Skull, suddenly wide awake and alert. "You never fought any  
monsters... did you?"  
p "I did as the Pink Ranger," answered Kimberly softly.  
p "Pink Ranger?" Skull repeated, brain reeling. "So that's what the Firebird was talking  
about!"  
p "bDid someone mention me?/b" answered a voice.   
p "Where have you been?" Skull demanded of the Firebird. "I've been fighting for my life,  
Cedar just about got killed, Kim got stuck in the middle of it, and you didn't even try to help!"  
p "bReally?/b" the Firebird replied. He turned to Kimberly. "bI'm dreadfully sorry,  
my lady. If I had known you were in danger, I certainly would have come to your rescue./b"  
P Kimberly rolled her eyes and turned to Skull. "Do you know this creep?"  
P "Yeah, kinda," Skull answered. "He iis/i kind of a pain."  
p "bI'm offended,/b" said the Firebird. "bBy the way, what happened to your lady  
friend? She looks to me as if she's had a difficult morning./b"  
p "A monster zapped her," Skull explained. "Is she okay?"  
p The Firebird fluttered closer to the unconscious Aerial and inspected her closely.  
p "bShe's well enough,/b" he said after a moment. "bShe seems to have had a bit of  
a shock, but once it wears off, she'll be as good as new. If I were you, I'd let her sleep it off. The  
rest will do her good, I think./b"  
p "As long as she'll be okay," said Skull with a relieved sigh.  
P "While we're waiting," Kimberly put in, "would you people mind giving me some kind of  
explanation of what's going on here? What are you people doing here? Where did that monster  
come from? Are we under attack? And since when is Skull a superhero?"  
p "Long story," Skull replied, "but I guess we've got time. It all kinda started back in the  
park..."  
Pcenter~*~/center  
p Chronavius appeared in an enfolding shadow within Zedd's palace. He knew he was in a  
sticky situation just now. He had failed an assignment - and not just any assignment, either. He'd  
been doing an assignment for an angry, vengeful, powerful, and, some had whispered, slightly  
insane. When word got to Lord Zedd that he had failed, he wouldn't have the life expectancy of  
an icicle in a furnace. There was only one thing left for a self-respecting assassin to do. When you  
couldn't kill your target... kill your client.  
P Zedd, as usual, was locked in his room. He had issued an edict some time back, sending  
secretaries and census takers scurrying for their record-books and digging through old records,  
and now he was passing time as he waited for their answers. To pass the time, he had taken to  
walking in circles again, mildly pleased by the fact that it was easier now than it had been a few  
hours ago. His mirror had not been covered, and he found that he was no longer wincing at the  
sight of himself. He was adjusting to this new form. Soon, he hoped, he would be back in fighting  
condition again, and then he could think about re-establishing his armies again and getting back  
into the universal game. Now was the time for planning and making strategies. He would have to  
find somewhere to lie low for a while, and until then, he had the perfect plan to cover his tracks.  
P He knew, now, for an absolute fact, that he was going to lose this war of his. He had made  
some small gains that he might or might not be able to hold on to, depending on the  
circumstances, but his overall goal of universal domination was simply not to be at this time. Still,  
surrendering would only make him look weaker than he already did, and that was not to be  
tolerated. Instead, he was going to issue a few well-worded decrees, to the effect that he had  
chosen to work through an agent who would relay his orders to the rest of his troops while he  
recovered from his accident, and he would take the helm again as soon as he was sufficiently  
recovered. This was not precisely the truth, nor was it what his "agent" was going to hear. In  
actuality, he was going to leave him, her, or it in full command of his remaining armies,  
threatening dire punishments for failing to win this war but promising great rewards for success.  
When whoever-it-was failed miserably, the blame could fall upon them. In the incredible event of  
a victory, he could take the credit for his proxy's work. It was a good plan, and he was almost  
looking forward to carrying it out. He should have implemented it a long time ago, he thought.  
P Suddenly, his attention was caught by a flicker of movement in the mirror: something  
seemed to be approaching him stealthily from behind, holding a gleaming dirk in one clawed hand.  
He paused, pretending to be lost in thought while actually watching the reflection in the glass. Just  
as the blade fell, driving toward the back of his head in a movement that would have spelled his  
doom, had he been unwary. To the utter amazement of the intruder, he brought up one hand and  
caught the creature's wrist, nearly crushing it in an iron grip. There was a strangled cry of pain  
and surprise from the creature, and the dirk clattered to the floor. Zedd gave a powerful pull,  
flipping the lightweight bird over his shoulder and slamming it onto the floor. Chronavius  
screeched in agony as pain flared through his already battered body. He stared up at his master  
with fear in his eyes, knowing full well that he had reached the end of the line.  
p "Thought you could cross me, did you?" Zedd growled harshly. "Do you believe I am  
weak because of what has happened? You are wrong! I am still more powerful than you can  
imagine, and now you will die for your mistake!" He held his staff over the fallen monster, it's  
pointed end aimed for the creature's heart.  
P "You are not strong enough to stop the forces of Good, it seems," Chronavius replied,  
strangely calm. "Had I known, I would have cast my lot with the Dark Falcon."  
P They were the last words he ever said. Then the silver lightning bolt drove through his  
heart, and he gave one final scream before quietly expiring, seeming to cave in on himself as he  
softly disintegrated.   
p "He was nothing but a pile of feathers, after all," Zedd muttered.   
p Almost as a reply, a little breeze sprung up from nowhere and began to stir the feathers.  
Making a sound like laughter, it swept them up and blew them all away, leaving the dark overlord  
to watch in puzzlement. For a moment, he had the funny feeling he had done something he hadn't  
intended to do. Then he shrugged and turned away, suddenly uncomfortable with looking at the  
place where there should have been feathers but weren't. The monster was dead. He could do no  
more harm.  
p Just then, there came a knock on the door, distracting Zedd's attention. He almost  
jumped, and he tried to convince himself he was more unnerved by nearly being assassinated than  
he was by the monster's odd expiration.  
p "Come in," he snapped.  
P The door opened, and a dusty-looking furry creature, one of his scribes, padded through  
the door. It looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes. Very few of Zedd's attendants had  
gotten entirely used to his new appearance, and the bookkeepers were generally more timid than  
the rest of his staff.  
p "What do you want?" Zedd asked it.  
p "Your m-majesty, we have finished considering your request," it said. "We have located a  
suitable c-candidate for your c-consideration."  
p "Fine, fine. Anyone I know?"  
p "A sorceress, daughter of a very well-known and powerful magic user. She has not been in  
your service long, but her records seem to indicate that she's exactly what you're looking for,"  
answered the scribe. "Her name is Rita Repulsa."  
p "Oh, her, Yes, I have heard something about her somewhere. She'll do, I think. Have her  
informed at once," Zedd replied.   
p "Yes, majesty," answered the scribe, bowing low. "Will there be anything else, majesty?"  
p "Not now. Get out of here," Zedd growled, and watched with some gratification as the  
little creature scuttled away from him in real fear. Yes, he could definitely get used to this. Things  
weren't as bad as he thought they might be. He was sure he could trust Rita to properly bungle  
things in his absence, and in the meantime, he would be preparing for a return that no one would  
ever forget.  
pcenter~*~/center  
P Explanations over with, Skull sat back and was quiet a while, waiting for all he had told  
Kimberly to sink in. She was looking somewhat dazed by it all, and he couldn't blame her - he  
didn't believe half of it himself. Still, she had seen the monster and the Dark Falcon, and the  
Firebird was here to back up his story, so he hoped she'd be able to absorb it eventually.  
P Suddenly, there was a soft sound, and Skull turned to see Cedar stirring and blinking her  
amber-colored eyes. She looked up at him in vague confusion.  
p "Eugene," she said softly. "What happened? Where am I?"  
p "It's a long story," Skull replied, smiling with relief. "But it's all over now, and I'm really  
glad you're safe."  
p "Bird happy to see you again," Cedar chirped.  
P Kimberly watched the two friends hug each other, smiling wistfully. She never would have  
guessed, never would have believed that all this was happening if she wasn't seeing it right before  
her eyes. Where was the Skull she had known? How had the mindless, cowardly, annoying guy  
she had avoided all through high school developed intelligence and courage? It was truly amazing,  
and yes, it was hard not to feel a little sorry for what she had missed...   
P "bThey're happy together,/b" said the Firebird. "band I am very sorry that I upset  
you. Could I possibly have another chance?/b"  
p "Forget it!" said Kimberly, drawn out of her reverie. "You don't have a chance."  
P "bAll the same,/b" Firebird replied, unwilling to give up, "bat least let me offer a  
token of my esteem. Here./b"  
p So saying, he inclined his head to pluck a single, shimmering feather from one wing and  
handed it to Kimberly. She took it from him in faint amazement, watching its color shift and flash  
in fiery tones.   
P "Oh. Thanks," she managed. "Not like I need it to remember you by or anything, but...  
thanks."  
p "Well," said Skull, "I guess it's time for us to be going. I mean, I wasn't even planning on  
coming here..."  
p "I understand," said Kim. "I guess I need to be going home soon, too. It's getting dark.  
Take care of yourself, okay?"  
P "I will. You too," Skull replied. "Um... goodbye, I guess."  
P "Bye," said Kimberly. She turned and began walking away. Suddenly, she stopped and  
turned around. "Hey, Skull! You said you've been in the future, right?"  
P "Yeah."  
P "Can you answer me a question? Is... is Tommy dating someone else where you came  
from?"  
p "Yeah. After you sent him that letter, he was bummed for a while, and then he started  
seeing Kat," Skull answered innocently.  
P *iKatherine,/i* thought Kimberly, surprised that she wasn't more surprised.  
*iWell, I did choose her to be my replacement. I couldn't think of anyone who deserves  
Tommy more. They have a lot in common... I think they'll be happy. Maybe it's better things do  
end like this./i*  
P "Thanks, Skull. I'm glad to hear that," she said. "Goodbye, and good luck!"  
p And as she turned and walked down the sidewalk toward her home, she felt strangely  
happy. Her dilemma seemed to have solved itself, and she was content with the outcome, and glad  
to be free of the problem. She hummed a little as she walked, absently twirling the Firebird's  
feather between her fingers.  
P Skull watched his old friend go with a smile. Then he turned back to Cedar.  
P "Ready to go?" he asked.  
p "I'm ready," she replied, smiling back at him.  
p "All right!" Skull cheered. "Onward to Terra Venture!" 


	7. Evil Space Aliens

Evil Space Aliens

_**Disclaimer and Author's Notes:** Here we are, lucky number seven in the Dark Falcon saga! Are you all enjoying the story so far? This is a very fluid series - anything can happen - so if you have any ideas, you are more than welcome to suggest them to me. I may use them, depending on how well they fit in the loose plot I already have. Did I forget anything? I feel like there's something... Oh! I almost forgot. Anything PR-related that I didn't make up belongs to Saban. Gee, how could I forget something that exciting..._

### Evil Space Aliens  
by: SilvorMoon

*_Well,_* thought Skull, looking around him. *_Here I am. I made it._* 

"It's strange," Cedar commented, looking around her in complete awe. "Not like the other city. Is this the place you wanted to live?" 

Skull looked around, taking in the clean new buildings, the peculiar little vehicles that sped along on their own special roads, the soldiers in their quiet-colored uniforms, and the GSA logos everywhere. There was something about it that just felt new, not like Angel Grove or Tien. Those places had an inhabited feel, and they fit everyone like old clothes, having been broken in by years or centuries of previous inhabitants. There was nothing here that felt of anything but new experiences and a strange sensation of going places. Maybe that was what Cedar was feeling that made her feel uncomfortable here, even after seeing other human cities on Earth. After living on Tien for so long, Skull couldn't blame her. He found it a little intimidating himself. 

"**I don't like it,**" the Firebird opined. He could always be counted on for an opinion. "**It feels of thunder and lightning. I don't like it one bit .**" 

"What is it with you and electricity?" Skull muttered in mild irritation. 

Firebird ruffled his glorious feathers in embarrassment. "**It just makes me uncomfortable, that's all. Thunder and Lightning are my enemies. They hamper my powers considerably. If you get in trouble here, I might be inconvenienced somewhat.**" 

"We won't get in trouble," said Skull, but he couldn't help feeling a bit worried. He wasn't used to the Firebird admitting any kind of weakness. He wondered what would happen if he did get into trouble for a moment, but then roughly shoved the thought out of his mind. This was the time of universal peace, wasn't it? All the monsters had died in the mysterious golden wave that had saved the world from destruction, and there would be no danger here. All the same, his hand went to his Firebird medallion in a nervous gesture. 

"Where is your friend, Eugene?" chirped Cedar with an expectant look. 

"Umm..." Skull was momentarily taken aback. Up until now, all his efforts had been mainly directed at getting here. Finding him was something that had not actually occurred to him. "Hmm. Good question. Maybe there's someone we could ask? They gotta keep records or something, right?" 

"**That would be a logical deduction,**" said the Firebird. "**I wish you good luck in your searching. I, however, intend to take advantage of this opportunity and do some exploring. I suppose I shall return at some later point.**" So saying, he rose up into the air and glided away. 

"Hope he doesn't cause any trouble," Skull muttered. 

"Glad he's gone," Cedar replied. "Don't worry about Firebird, Eugene. He can take care of himself. If he can't, it's his own fault." 

"You really don't like him, do you?" Skull asked her. Cedar was normally the most charitable of people. It was seldom she had an unkind word to say about anyone but the destroyers who had intended to take over her world. 

Cedar shook her head. "Don't trust him. He's too clever for his own good. Father says people like him always come to bad ends sooner or later." 

"I don't trust him, either," Skull admitted. "I don't like him keeping secrets from us. Oh, well. Want to help me look for Bulk?" 

"Guess so," Cedar answered doubtfully. "Are you really sure you're going to stay here, Eugene? Forever and ever?" 

*_Forever?_* The word echoed in his mind and unsettled him. Could he really stay here in this place for the rest of his life? Well, of course he wanted to be with his friends. He could hardly remember a year that he hadn't spent and Bulk's side. He had been living on the hospitality of Cedar's family for a long time, and it was certain that they liked him and didn't mind his presence, but he would have felt guilty sponging off of them for much longer. He was human, and he belonged with other humans, people who spoke his language and didn't sprout feathers to keep themselves warm at night. 

*_You're not so smart yourself. You don't know what you are, either,_* taunted the Firebird's voice in his mind. Perhaps it was Skull's usual distrust of the bird and his usually untrustworthy advice that made him want to dismiss that little bit of wisdom as well. Still, a voice in his head reminded him, the Firebird had seemed awfully secretive about just what he had meant by that, acting like it was something he hadn't meant to let slip. 

"Let's start looking," was all he said. 

~*~

Meanwhile, in a comfortable set of dormitories located in one of the more militaristic parts of Terra Venture, five teens were sitting back and relaxing after a day's work. The sixth member of the group, however, seemed distracted. She sat quietly, not attending to the animated conversation that was going on around her. Her eyes scanned the room erratically, as if she was following the progress of a fly. 

"What's with you, Maya?" asked Mike, looking concerned. 

"Something strange is going on," she said, looking confused. "There is some kind of presence that has arrived. I don't know what it is, though. It feels strong... and not happy." 

"Is it dangerous?" asked Kendrix worriedly. 

"I hope it's not one of Trakeena's creeps," muttered Leo. 

"No, it doesn't belong to her. It's a natural force... forces," Maya corrected. "Whatever they're doing, I think we had better not interfere, but we should be careful." 

"Fine," said Damon. "I'll be happy to leave them alone if they'll leave us alone." 

Anything else that might have been said was cut off by a sudden crack of lighting. It was followed by a roar of thunder, and the lights flickered a little. 

"Storm's on the way," remarked Mike. "Big one, too, by the sound of it." 

"There's no storm scheduled for today!" Kai griped. "Leo, did you get into the weather simulator again?" 

"Hey, don't look at me!" said Leo, hands held up in protest. "So help me, I haven't been near the thing in days!" 

"Hmm," said Kai, not looking convinced. "Let me check something." 

So saying, he headed for a table where Kendrix's laptop was plugged in and accessed Terra Venture's main computer system. 

"Funny," he said, face creased in puzzlement, "it says here that the weather machines aren't generating any storms. Everything ought to be peaceful!" 

"Well, it looks like it isn't, is it?" said Damon. "Any idea what's causing this?" 

Kai shook his head. "No clue. Whatever it is, it's something outside of the system." 

"Don't you understand?" asked Maya. "This isn't a man made thing. It's natural. It's being caused by _them_!" 

"Them?" Mike repeated. "Them, who?" 

"I don't know," Maya replied, "but I think maybe we should find out." 

~*~

"**I don't like thunder and lighting, I don't like thunder and lightning, I don't like thunder and lighting...**" 

With every beat of his radiant wings, the Firebird repeated his chant to himself. The inclement weather was not making him at all comfortable, but speculations as to its cause were making him downright agitated. The element of fire was his to control if he willed it enough, even with his powers somewhat curtailed, but water could still drown him out if it was powerful enough. He knew someone who could do it, too, and this felt suspiciously like his handiwork. 

"**Impossible,**" the Firebird stated flatly. "**I got rid of him. He won't come back, and even if he did, he wouldn't be here.**" 

"_I wouldn't be so sure about that,_" answered a voice. It was faint, echoing, and seemed to come from all directions at once. The Firebird disobeyed the laws of gravity and aerodynamics by suddenly halting in midair. 

"**Who said that?**" he demanded. "**Come out and show yourself, scoundrel, before I get angry with you. It isn't nice to play games with and Immortal Being, you know.**" 

"_Wise words,_" the voice answered, "_which leads me to suggest that you should take your own advice. Face it, brother, you're not a true Immortal anymore. I am._" 

"**Impossible!**" Firebird said again, but this time he sounded much less certain. 

There was a sudden thickening of the air, and Firebird suddenly found himself surrounded by thick silver-white clouds. They seemed to darken at the point directly in front of him, roiling and churning until they became as heavy and black as storm clouds, and they flashed and rumbled ominously. In a breathtaking flash of pale lavender-blue lightning, a shape appeared, and the Firebird fell back in awe. 

No one who saw the creature that had manifested itself before him would ever again be intimidated by the Firebird. It was similar in size and shape, but in all other respects, it was a whole new creature. It's feathers were the silver, grey, and blue of storm clouds, and its eyes gleamed with lightning. Firebird was beautiful, but next to this being, he looked only flashy and overdecorated. What the new bird lacked in physical beauty, he made up for in majesty. He radiated predatory power and calm wisdom. And yet... and yet, the lightning that flickered in the background shone right through him, and the patterns of the roiling clouds could be seen through his outstretched wings. He was only a shade, translucent, barely present. Even so, the Firebird cringed at the sight of him. 

"_Thought you could escape me, eh, my brother?_" it asked quietly. 

"**Thunderbird,**" answered Firebird in a grudging greeting. "**What brings you here?**" 

"_Would you believe, brotherly love?_" asked the Thunderbird gently. "_You're heading for trouble, you know._" 

"**I can take care of myself,**" Firebird said. He sounded like he was pouting. 

"_Ah, yes, I remember so well what that feels like,_" said the Thunderbird with a sigh. "_My dear young brother, I've been everywhere you have. I think it is the curse of our kind to suffer, but if you would listen to me, I could save you from more torment._" 

"**Torment? What torment?**" asked Firebird indignantly. 

"_Would a few centuries in an amber crystal count as torment?_" asked the Thunderbird, cocking his head in a wry expression. "_That's not mentioning what you went through to get there in the first place. And losing your Immortal status isn't fun, I know._" 

"**Why do you have to rub that in?**" the Firebird complained. "**I'm perfectly content with my life, thank you very much. I don't need your meddling.**" 

"_I'm trying to help you, Firebird,_" answered Thunderbird, and the clouds behind him rumbled with his impatience. "_You saw what became of me! Even now, I'm lacking much of my former power. It could take me eons to get it back! I came so close to dying, Firebird! I! I, an Immortal Being, nearly threw away my life! I'm trying to save you from that same fate before it's too late for you. You've already gone much further than you should._" 

"**I don't know what you're talking about!**" Firebird snapped. "**You've never done anything but try to run my life, Thunderbird, and I'm getting very tired of it!**" 

"_And I don't like what you're doing to the Dark Falcon,_" said Thunderbird. "_If I've tried to control you, it was for your own long-term benefit, but what you tried to do to him..._" 

"**I am trying to help him. It is my destiny to protect the Tienese... better than _you_ protected the Oryllians,**" said the Firebird acidly. 

Thunderbird winced. "_That was a long time ago. I've paid for it many times over. I'm still trying to make up for it. I shudder to think what you're going to do when this is over._" 

"**Get out of here! I've had enough of this talk!**" the Firebird snapped. "**Stay out of my life, Thunderbird! I'll do as I very well please. The affairs of mortals are of no consequence.**" 

"_Be careful; you may be condemning yourself,_" Thunderbird replied. "_There are things you could do to have even your Near Immortal status taken away. Murder, for example._" He gave the Firebird a hard look with his lightning-glow eyes. 

"**How dare you level such accusations at me!**" exclaimed the Firebird. "**I've never even considered such a thing!**" 

"_Oh, really?_" the Thunderbird answered. "_Did you know that setting up rigged battles is considered murder?_" 

"**Say no more!**" Firebird commanded, feathers bristling in anger. 

"_You don't like the Dark Falcon, do you?_" said Thunderbird softly. "_I know how your mind works. You sensed that he was weak, and you gave him power because you thought you could control him, and when he grew too strong, you tried to have him destroyed. That battle you were so keen on having him fight... bringing him to Lord Zedd and abandoning him. You never meant for him to win that fight, did you?_" 

"**THAT'S ENOUGH!**" Firebird roared. Waves of fire shot from his wings and eyes, engulfing the stormy bird before him, and there was a deafening roar of flame and thunder. When it had quieted, the Thunderbird was gone, and the clouds were thinning. 

"_I'll be back,_" his voice whispered. Then the fog lifted, and the Firebird was alone. 

"**Oh, good riddance. I don't need you, anyway,**" said the Firebird, watching the fog clear. "**I can take care of myself. I know what I'm doing.**" 

Still, he couldn't help feeling a bit chilled. He would lie low a while, he decided. He needed to think. It was obvious that Thunderbird didn't approve of his plans. Well, that could be taken care of. Thunderbird had always been the stronger of the two, but he had obviously been greatly weakened, else he wouldn't have been driven off by his lesser-enabled brother. 

"**He'll go down, too,**" Firebird decided. "**No one will stand in my way. Not him _or_ the Dark Falcon!**" 

~*~

Skull looked up at the sky in time to see a bolt of lightning tear a jagged path across the gathering clouds, and then winced a little as he heard the clap of thunder that accompanied it. 

"Sounds like it's going to rain," he muttered. "Man, this stinks! How am I supposed to find anyone if it starts pouring down rain?" 

"There is restaurant over there," Cedar chirped. "Can we get food while it rains? I'm hungry." Cedar wasn't especially bothered by the noise and rage of thunderstorms, but she had always been taught to be wary of lightning, and her avian metabolism required more fuel than a human's would. 

"Good idea. I hope they still use American Earth money around here," Skull replied. He rummaged around in his pockets and came up with a handful of crumpled bills and loose change. "This ought to be enough to get something. Let's go in." 

Cedar nodded and followed Skull across the street, feeling the first cool drops of rain splatter on her head and shoulders. They gained the safety of the little caf‚, and, as if that was some sort of signal, the heavens opened up, and the streets were suddenly filled with bullets of rain that burst on the pavement. 

"Whew!" said Skull, shaking himself a little. "I'm glad I didn't get caught in that!" 

"Me too," Cedar agreed. "Bird doesn't like being wet." 

"Same here. Come on, let's go see if we can get something good to eat here," Skull suggested. 

The restaurant they had wandered into was pleasant and well designed - dark enough to feel cozy, light and spacious enough not to be claustrophobic. Costumed waiters scurried here and there, delivering food and drinks, and others sat at a bar up in front. The air was filled with the happy chattering of people. Skull smiled a little, reminded of the Youth Center back in Angel Grove. How long had it been since he had been there? Not since shortly after meeting Cedar, when he'd finally been chased out of the hangout for high school students and had started haunting the Surf Spot. He decided he liked this place. For all it's space age touches, it felt like home. 

"You wait out here," said Skull, appraising Cedar's quaint costuming and deciding it wouldn't quite fit in with the general populace. "I'll go order something for us, and we can find somewhere to eat where they won't notice you." 

Cedar nodded and slipped into a shadowed corner. Skull waved goodbye to her and headed up to the counter. 

"Over here!" he called. "Can I get some service?" 

"Yeah, yeah, keep your shirt on," a voice called back... an annoyed voice... a familiar voice. Skull's head snapped around to look at the speaker. Even though the bartender's back was turned to him, Skull recognized him as well as if he was seeing his face. How many times had he trailed behind that figure? 

"Bulk?" he exclaimed in disbelief. 

"Huh? How did you know my...?" The question died as Bulk turned around and saw his friend. "Skull, is that you?" 

"It's me, all right! Man, is it ever good to see you!" Skull enthused. 

"I can't believe it! I thought I was never going to see you again!" cried Bulk, smiling his widest. "Hey, Professor, look! Skull's back!" 

"Skull?" The little old man looked up from what he was doing and turned around to give his former assistant a wide-eyed stare. "Good heavens, Skull, it _is_ you! How did you get here? I thought we forgot you!" 

"I was abducted by aliens!" said Skull with a look of pure innocence. Well, he had been brought here by an alien, all right, even if it was of his own free will, and who wouldn't think of aliens when talking to Professor Phenomenus? He quickly began embellishing his tale. "They took me up in this big silver ship and did all kinds of tests and took a bunch of pictures. They said they came from Jupiter or something. Then when they were done with me, they shot me down here in a laser beam, and I wandered around until it started to rain, and I came in here and found you guys." 

"It's a miracle!" Bulk exclaimed. 

"Yes, yes it is! You're lucky to have escaped!" the Professor added. "Those evil space aliens are extremely dangerous!" 

"Um, yeah," Skull agreed. "Anyway, I'm kinda hungry after being abducted and all. Do ya think maybe..." 

"Don't worry about a thing, Skull! Dinner is on the house," Bulk insisted. "There's gotta be something around here you can eat. Hey, I'm really sorry we can't stay and talk, but we won't be off work for another hour. Come back after quitting time, though, and we'll take you to see our lab. It's the best!" 

"Um, yeah, sure. That would be cool," said Skull agreeably. He glanced out the windows near the entrance, peering at the scraps of the city that could be seen from where he stood. "What do you know? It stopped raining. Is it okay if I, like, order my lunch to go? I'd kinda like to look around." 

"Sure thing," Bulk answered. "I'm just really glad you're back." 

"Yeah," said Skull. "Me too." 

He wondered suddenly why that statement tasted to him like a lie. 

~*~

Trakeena paced the floor nervously. Something was bothering her, making it absolutely impossible to concentrate on anything important, and she didn't even know what it was! That fact made her even more annoyed, and she continued prowling back and forth, radiating frustration like a fly in a jar. 

"Is something bothering you, my queen?" asked a polite voice. 

Trakeena jumped and whirled on the intruder with malice in her eyes. Upon discovering that it was only Villamax, she sighed and relaxed a little. She had been taught from her day of birth to trust no one, but her trainer and lead warrior had somehow managed to exempt himself from that rule. 

"Nothing's wrong," she told him. 

"Are you sure? You looked concerned over something," answered Villamax. "Tell me what is troubling you, highness. Perhaps I can be of help." 

"Nothing's wrong," Trakeena repeated. "That's the problem. Nothing is wrong, and I still feel like _something_ is wrong, and its driving me crazy! I think this whole business of taking over the universe is getting me paranoid. Things were so much easier when Father was still alive." 

"Hmm," said Villamax, a believer in the adage, "If there's nothing to say, don't say it." Still, he never enjoyed seeing his princess unhappy, and he stood uncomfortably at attention, hoping some cue might provide itself to tell him what best to do. 

"Trakeena? Villamax?" called a distant voice. "Where is everybody?" 

Trakeena rolled her eyes in annoyance. "What is it, Kegler? And it had better be good!" 

The portly little man waddled into the room as fast as his short legs would carry him. He looked worried, but that was nothing unusual, since he was nearly always fretting over something. 

"Your majesty, the computers are picking up highly unusual activity on Terra Venture! There are unidentified power sources moving down there!" 

"Power sources?" Trakeena repeated, looking interested. "What kind? Where are they?" 

"I don't know!" answered Kegler in a tone of protest. "I've been trying, but I can't lock them down!" 

"Perhaps this is what you've been sensing," Villamax suggested. "Would you like me to go down and have a look around for you?" 

"You do that," answered Trakeena. "And look up those Ranger brats while you're at it and make sure they stay out of this." 

"Of course, your highness," Villamax answered with a bow. He vanished in a flash of green light. 

"If the Rangers try to get to these new powers before I do, they'll wish they hadn't," said Trakeena to herself. "And if there's anyone else out there who wants to cross me... they had just better look out." 

~*~

Skull and Cedar stepped out into the streets of Terra Venture and looked around. Strangely, though it had been pouring down rain only moments ago, the sky was already clearing, and patches of blue were already beginning to show here and there. The two of them wandered over to a bus stop bench where they could sit and share the sandwich Skull had recieved. 

"Really weird," Skull muttered as he took his seat. "I've never seen such a fast rain storm, have you?" 

Cedar shook her head. "Something strange must have happened. Sky was blue when we got here, then it rained and thundered, and now it is blue again. This is strange place, Eugene. I don't think I like it." 

"I dunno... the weather here is all done by computers. Maybe there was a glitch somewhere," Skull suggested. 

"Computers?" asked Cedar blankly. "What is a computer?" 

"It's... hard to explain," answered Skull. He didn't think he could explain what a computer was to himself, not really. They were just things you pushed buttons on to make things happen. If you were Skull, they were usually not the things you wanted to have happen, but that was beside the point. 

"Nothing here makes sense," Cedar said, a little sadly. "It is so much not like home. Can't imagine how anyone could live here for their whole lives. How will you get used to it?" 

"I already am used to it, sort of," Skull replied. "I mean, I grew up in a city like this." 

"So what are you going to do now?" asked Cedar. 

"First," said Skull, "I'm going to eat. Then maybe Bulk and the Professor will be done with work, and I can go see their place." 

"Will I come too?" 

"Um... maybe you'd better not," Skull answered after a moment of thought. "Bulk's seen you before. He might recognize you, and I wouldn't be able to explain how you got here. Maybe you should be a bird a while. You can look around the city, and I'll meet you back here later. We've got to find that stupid Firebird, anyway, before you go home." 

"I'm going to miss you," said Cedar sadly. "Won't be the same without you." 

"I know. I'll miss you too," Skull answered. "You've been a great friend, Cedar. One of the best I've ever had. I'll never forget that." 

They were quiet for a moment, picking at their sparse meal in pensive silence. Finally, Cedar stood up. 

"I think I want to fly now," she said. "I will be back in a while, Eugene. I will wait here for you to come back. Have fun with your friends." 

"Bye, Cedar. Have fun flying," Skull called back. 

Cedar slipped into an alleyway between the caf‚ and a nearby building. It was just a narrow crack, making it a safe enough place to transform without being seen...or so she thought. The one small air vent set in the side of the caf‚ escaped her attention, since it appeared opaque from her point of view. However, anyone in the kitchen who happened to peer through the slats could get a glimpse of the alley, and the faint glow that accompanied her shape-shifting just happened to catch the eye of the Professor himself, delivering a stack of dirty dishes to the overworked kitchen staff. He paused and looked more closely, just in time to see a beautiful redheaded girl suddenly warp and reshape herself into a large rose-gold bird with a flowing crest of long thin feathers. For a moment, he was dumbstruck, but then, as he watched her flutter her wings and fly away, he broke into a smile. 

"An alien!" he whispered, chuckling in satisfaction. "An evil space alien!" 

~*~

"Well, this is it!" said Bulk to his old sidekick. "How do you like it?" 

Skull looked around. Evidently, Bulk and the Professor had jerry-rigged themselves a combination living space and laboratory out of what had once been some kind of storage facility. Rooms that had once been storerooms of a sort had been turned into miniature bedrooms - Bulk's door was open, revealing an unmade bed and several articles Skull recognized from his former home back on Earth - and aside from a few necessary appliances, like a fridge and a television, the rest of the space seemed to be filled with laboratory equipment. It had obviously been put together out of odds and ends, and several bits of machinery seemed to be held together solely by wires and scraps of electrical tape. All manner of unidentifiable machinery littered desks, tables, the floor, and even chairs, humming and blinking and blipping and occasionally shooting off sparks. The walls were enlivened by a few of Bulk's old posters and numerous pictures of UFO's and space beings. 

"It's... interesting," Skull replied. 

"Thanks! I knew you would like it," Bulk replied. "We'll fix you up a room, too. There's another one upstairs. It's full of stuff right now, but we can clean it out for you." 

"Thanks," answered Skull. 

He wandered across the room, to where a large, cagelike contraption had been set up in a corner. It appeared to be made of steel pipes soldered to sheets of metal to make a barred box, and the front was hinged for a door. A small, crude looking control panel dotted with buttons, lights, and toggles was attached to the door, and wires seemed to sprout from various points to connect to more machines. When he drew nearer, he could hear a faint hum issuing from it, amplified by the hollow bars. It didn't look very friendly. 

"What's this wacky thing?" he asked. "Is it safe?" 

"Don't touch that!" the Professor shouted. "That's for the aliens!" 

"Aliens?" Skull repeated inanely. Well, of course Professor Phenomenus would have a cage for aliens in his house! Even the fact that it was obviously mechanical shouldn't have surprised him much - an ordinary cage wouldn't be enough to hold the phantasms the Professor believed were always lurking nearby. 

"Yes, yes, of course!" the Professor cackled. "The evil space aliens are everywhere! We have to be ready for them!" 

"They're here. We've seen them," Bulk added seriously. "The Power Rangers fight with them all the time." 

"Power Rangers?" asked Skull, curious. He had thought the Power Rangers had disbanded after the last battle and had settled down to other business. 

"Yeah! There are these new guys in funny Charlie Brown suits, and they fight with the monsters," explained Bulk. "You hang around long enough, you'll see them." 

"I saw one just a little while ago," the Professor interjected. 

"What? A Power Ranger?" asked Bulk. 

"No, not a Power Ranger! An alien!" Professor Phenomenus answered. "It was right outside the caf‚! She was disguised as a human, but I saw her take her true form before she vanished!" 

"Really?" asked Skull, feigning detachment while trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. "What did she look like?" 

"A horrible bird monster!" answered the Professor. "With a razor sharp beak and cruel talons for attacking innocent victims!" 

Skull tried not to wince. It sounded suspiciously like his reaction to his own first look at Cedar, when he had met her in her half-avian form. He'd been scared half to death of her the first time, but now he was completely used to seeing people with beaks and feathers or birds with hands, to the point where he was sometimes surprised by his reflection in the mirror outside Hemlock's study room, because he didn't have wings and a crest. It was hard for him to comprehend how the Professor could find Cedar horrible. To Skull, she was beautiful in any form she took. Unfortunately, if Professor Phenomenus was convinced that Cedar was dangerous or evil, he would do whatever he could to hunt her down, and that was sometimes a surprising amount more than people expected. 

"Guess we'd better get to work, then," Bulk agreed. "Hey, Skull, want to help us hunt aliens? It'll be just like old times." 

"Nah, not right now," answered Skull, trying to sound casual. "I kinda want to settle in a little first. Besides, I think I've had enough aliens for a while - you know, what with being abducted and all." 

"Okay, Skull. Whatever suits you," said Bulk. "Hey, Professor, what were those parts you wanted from the hardware store?" 

"I'll get the list," Professor Phenomenus replied. "Come! There is much to be done!" 

Bulk and the Professor wandered off, deep in discussion about transistors and adaptors and other things Skull only half understood. As they left, Skull collapsed onto a nearby sofa, being careful not to disturb the small machine that was taking up one of the seats, sprawling across the rest of it with his head propped on the arm, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling. He attempted to think some constructive thoughts, and halfway succeeded. Terra Venture was a shock to his system after living among the Tienese so long, and he wasn't sure about spending all his time hunting aliens anymore. Well, maybe he could find a job somewhere and get an apartment of his own. As for Cedar, she was probably safe. With her wings, she could fly out of anyone's sight and reach, and she wouldn't be here that much longer. And as for Skull... there were Power Rangers here, and that meant monsters were here as well. Perhaps they could use an ally like the Dark Falcon. Skull had never considered that he might miss using his super powers, but he had to admit, deep down, that there were times when he enjoyed taking on the role of a hero. He didn't care for having his life on the line, but he did like being strong and fast and competent, and he would truly miss being able to fly if he had to give up his alternate identity forever. As long as there were battles to fight, he still had a purpose. 

*_I just hope that's enough..._* 

~*~

"Would you look at that?" Damon muttered, scanning the sky. 

"Where did all the clouds go?" asked Kendrix, looking around in confusion. "They just kind of... disappeared!" 

The teens were wandering aimlessly down an empty side street, trailing behind Maya, who in turn was following a vague sense of location, leading her toward something she couldn't even begin to identify. And then, suddenly... she lost it. 

"Whatever was causing the storm has gone away," Maya answered thoughtfully. "If I didn't know better, I'd say it was hiding from us." 

"Think we should look for it?" asked Kai. 

"I think we should leave it alone," said Maya. "It's not really hurting anything, and it obviously doesn't want to be found. If we make it angry, who knows what it might do?" 

"That's fine with me," said Leo. "I'm tired of running around in the rain... or whatever," he added, with an accusing glance at the now cloudless sky. 

"I'm with you," said Mike. "I say, if the whatever isn't bothering us, we shouldn't bother it. Besides, I don't know about you guys, but all this running around has made me thirsty. Anyone up for a snack?" 

There was a chorus of agreement, and the Rangers turned to walk away... only to find that someone was blocking their path. 

"Good afternoon, Rangers," said Villamax. "Lovely day for a battle, don't you think?" 

"What are you doing here?" Mike demanded. 

"I am on a mission," the monster stated factually, "and I've been given specific instructions to keep you out of the way. If you all turn around and go home now, you won't have any problems." 

"Forget about it," Leo replied. "Anything Trakeena sent you to do is trouble, and we won't allow that here." 

"Well, then. If you insist on being uncooperative, we have no choice but to fight," Villamax replied, drawing his sword. "I advise you to clear out before I have to hurt a few of you." 

"We'll see who hurts who," Leo replied. "Ready, guys? _Go Galactic!_" 

"You can't impress me with that old trick," said Villamax, coolly watching his enemies make their transformations. He snapped his fingers, and a dozen StingWingers manifested themselves. They charged at the Rangers, and a fierce battle broke out in the streets. 

Meanwhile, high over the city, Cedar picked up the faint sounds of a fight. Looking down, she saw a number of bright shapes moving around in the street, repelling the attacks of darker shapes, insect-like things that alerted the avian instincts of Cedar's bird-self. Curiously, she began to circle lower, wondering if she could be of help. 

What she did not see were two perfectly ordinary humans taking a shortcut home through the uncrowded side of town. As Cedar began her descent, one of them, an elderly man with glasses and a white lab coat, glanced upward. Surprised, he fished in a coat pocket for a pair of mini-binoculars and looked again. He pointed at the sky and tugged urgently at the sleeve of his companion, a heavyset young man with a blond ponytail. 

"Look up there!" the Professor shouted excitedly. "That's her! That's the alien I saw!" 

"What? Where?" Bulk looked around in vague confusion. Professor Phenomenus pressed the binoculars to his companion's eyes so that he, too, could see the spectacular rose-gold bird that circled overhead. Bulk's jaw dropped. 

"Whoa, it really _is_ an alien!" he exclaimed. 

"It's coming closer!" cried the Professor. "Quick, Bulk, the net!" 

Bulk scrambled in a pocket of his coat and came up with something that looked like a silver watergun, which he reverently handed to Professor Phenomenus. The professor accepted the pistol and held it up, aiming it at the slowly approaching shape that was drifting down from the sky. 

"Careful... careful... _now!_" 

His finger pulled the trigger, and there was a rushing sound as a net shot up into the air, flying with unavoidable speed toward its target. Cedar perceived only blur of movement out of one eye before the net had her. Her wings became tangled, and she screamed as she tumbled through the suddenly unsupportive atmosphere, struggling against the ties that held her. She landed in a pair of outstretched arms. They tried to hold back her flailing wings and slashing claws, and then there was suddenly a foul-smelling cloth pressed over her beak. The scent made her head reel, and she blacked out. 

~*~

Skull spent a long time just staring at the ceiling, daydreaming. He didn't feel up to doing much else; the sudden change in circumstances had taken a lot out of him, as had the recent battle with Chronavius. He actually felt a little sorry for the creature, now that he took time to consider it. He hadn't been so bad, really. He'd put up a good fight and surrendered sensibly, far better than the creatures he'd battled who'd resorted to underhanded tricks or continued fighting vainly when the battle was obviously lost. The superhero business would be better, he reflected, if more villains conducted themselves as well as Chronavius had. He wondered what had become of the creature... 

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden thickening of the air around him, as if the room had been filled with invisible fog, cold and slightly metallic tasting, and a few machines fizzed and crackled in response to its coming. The feeling intensified, bringing with it an electric tingle, and then there was _real_ fog in the room, a patch of roiling, grey-blue clouds, and in the center of the clouds... 

"Who are you?" Skull asked the being in quiet awe. 

"_A friend, Dark Falcon,_" answered the bird. "_I am Garudan, called the Thunderbird. I need your help._" 

"Do you know the Firebird?" asked Skull. There was a resemblance between the two that was hard not to miss, even though their dissimilarities were hard to miss. 

"_Unfortunately so, but that is only part of the reason I am here,_" Thunderbird answered. "_Dark Falcon, I need your help. My home has been destroyed; my heart has been ripped from me. I have lost my soul. Please, you must help me to get back what I have lost and correct the wrongs I have done. Can I count on you?_" 

"You want me to leave?" Skull asked, surprised. "After I just got here? I don't know what I can do..." 

"_You can do everything,_" said the Thunderbird. "_Your strength is greater than you know. Firebird was once the strongest of us two, and there are long-standing wars between us... It is hard to communicate with you. I am missing my soul... it makes it hard on me. We've been torn apart... my soulmate... the teams... You can be the catalyst that heals everything. Say you will try._" 

"I... I'll see what I can do," said Skull reluctantly. His life as a hero was supposed to be over, wasn't it? But he had been planning to help the Rangers! He had come here to be with his friends and he was thinking of moving out. The Firebird had been his benefactor, but he'd also been almost more trouble than he was worth. This being was so like and unlike him, it was hard to say if he was trustworthy or not. It was all so confusing... 

"_Thank you,_" the Thunderbird replied. "_I will be eternally grateful... You should go now. There is trouble happening not far from her. I feel fear... you might already be too late. Go. The Dark Falcon is needed._" 

Skull nodded. The Thunderbird bowed a little in response, and then there was a clap of thunder and a blinding flash of light. When Skull's vision cleared, the bird was gone. Skull shrugged. Weirder things had happened. His hand went to the trusty old Firebird amulet, warm despite the coolness of the room, and he got the oddest feeling it was glad to be going back to the action. He chalked it up to an overactive imagination and prepared to transform. 

Seconds later, a dark-garbed man could be seen sprinting for the roof of the building. He emerged to stand on the edge of the wall, looking down on the empty streets below, scanning with the senses that were beyond his understanding, tasting danger. With a light leap, he caught the air and rode it in the direction of the battle. 

Shortly after he was gone, two figures dragging a netted bird walked into the warehouse and locked the door behind them. 

~*~

Leo staggered backwards, propelled by a savage beating from Villamax, and several StingWingers rushed to catch him and hold him down. A few of the other Rangers tried to help him, but the ever-present insect warriors would throw themselves in the Rangers' paths and block them, pushing them back out of the way. Attacking fiercely with his sword, Mike attempted to attack the evil general from the rear, and Leo saw him and tensed involuntarily. Villamax caught the movement and whirled to strike at the Magna Defender, who fell to the ground in a tangled heap of dark armor and crimson cloth. 

"You keep of this. Your turn is coming," the general told him coldly. Turning to Leo, he said, "You might as well give up, Ranger. We've got you now. Surrender unconditionally and there will be less suffering for everyone." 

"I'll never surrender to the likes of you!" Leo snarled. 

"Oh, come now. Be reasonable," said Villamax, casually tapping Leo's shoulder with his sword. "If you don't surrender, I'll have to destroy you now. Give up and come quietly, and tell your friends to do the same. If you're lucky, perhaps Trakeena will let you serve her." 

"Never! I'd never serve the cause of evil!" 

Villamax shrugged. "Well, it was worth a try. You've been a worthy adversary, Red Ranger, but it's time for this battle to end." He raised his blade and prepared to strike. 

Just then, there was an explosion of red lights that rained down on the armored warrior, throwing him backwards and spoiling his aim. The sword slashed the arm of one of the StingWingers, making it release its grip, and Leo used that moment of surprise to free himself and hurry to join his friends and his brother... who all seemed to be staring up at the sky. Leo looked up, too, just in time to see a man in black drop out of the air. 

"What the...?" he wondered. 

Villamax glared darkly at the intruder as he retrieved his dropped weapon. "Who do you think you are, interfering in our fight? Mind your own business!" 

"I am called the Dark Falcon," the stranger replied, "and my business is to fight evil. I'm pretty sure that means you." 

Villamax weighed the situation. He'd been sent to search for whatever the perceived new power was, and this odd person with the hawklike eyes, who held that laser gun in an attitude that conveyed clearly that he knew how to use it, was evidently a power of some kind or another. So, was it better to fight him now, or back off a bit and find out a little more about what was going on? The latter course of action, though not the one that would make Trakeena the happiest, was clearly the most intelligent. You didn't fight someone you knew nothing about, especially when they began with the advantage. 

"Indeed it does," he said to the Dark Falcon, "but I don't think you'll be fighting me today. Perhaps another time. Good day." He and the StingWingers vanished in a blink of green light. 

Skull sighed and slipped his laser back into its holster. That had been almost too easy, and he wasn't sure that was a good thing. The Rangers approached him curiously. 

"Hey, thanks for the assist," the Red Ranger replied. "You've got great timing." 

"It was no problem," he replied, feeling a little shy. After all, these were _real_ heroes, Power Rangers, probably greater than he'd ever be. "I just got lucky, that's all." 

"Well, we're grateful for your help," said the Blue Ranger. "We owe you a debt of gratitude. Can you tell us who you are?" 

Skull shrugged. "Just a friend, passing through... I need to go now, I think. Maybe we'll see each other again soon." 

Abruptly, he turned and walked off, letting himself be lost in the shadows of a dark alley. The Rangers stood back, respecting his right to privacy. They knew well what hard work it was to be a hero, and they would not get in his way. 

~*~

Cedar came around slowly. She was lying on something cold and hard, something that didn't feel like proper stone or anything else she would have been lying on if she wasn't in trouble. She opened her eyes and was met with steel bars. She was in a cage, trapped! She came fully awake with a squawk. 

"Ah, you're awake!" said a voice. It had the dry, cracked quality that came from many years of use, so Cedar was not surprised to look up and find an elderly man peering back at her through a pair of small glasses. Cedar stared back at him, heart fluttering, wondering if he was friend or foe and deeply fearing the latter. 

"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously. "Vat do vant vith me?" 

"It can talk!" said Bulk in obvious amazement. 

Cedar shot a look at him. "Am not an it, human. Am person, and there is no rrreason vy I should not talk." 

"Settle down, little alien," said the Professor. "We just want to run a few tests - so some experiments." 

"No," said Cedar fiercely. "You vill do no experiments on me! You have no rrright!" 

"Oh? And who's going to stop us?" the old man cackled. 

Cedar's beak dropped in shock as she realized that he was right; as long as Eugene didn't know where she was, no one would save her. Furiously, she threw herself at the walls of the cage, only to be dealt an electric shock that sent her back to the floor, screaming in pain. She shifted to human form and tried again, but with the same results. Stricken with momentary panic, she flashed from form to form, making wild attempts to free herself, until she finally collapsed again from pain and exhaustion. The Professor stood by mildly, taking notes and chuckling to himself. Panting, Ceder emitted a stream of insulting and vulgar words at him in Tienese. He glanced up at her in faint puzzlement before going back to his note-taking. 

Just then, there was a rattling sound at the door, and then a banging. 

"Hey, is anybody in there?" a voice shouted. Cedar looked up in surprise. Even muffled by walls and doors, there was no mistaking that voice. It was Eugene! Had he come to save her, or...? She suddenly realized that she recognized one of her captors as Eugene's best friend from Earth, and her heart sank. 

Bulk hurried to open the door to admit his friend. 

"Hey," he said, "what are you doing out there?" 

"I just went outside a minute, and you guys came and locked me out!" Skull complained. Then he looked around the room, and his gaze fell on Cedar. He stared at her in shock, and she stared back with an look of fear and uncertainty. 

"What in the...? How did...?" Skull stammered. 

"We caught an alien!" said Bulk, mistaking his friend's reaction. "Pretty cool, huh?" 

"What... what are you going to do to her?" asked Skull, horrified. 

"Well, we're going to observe her for a while, and run a few tests," said the Professor, "and then we're going to open her up and see what makes her tick." 

Cedar shrieked, and Skull went suddenly pale. 

"You can't do that!" he cried. 

Bulk looked at him in puzzlement. "Why not?" 

"Because... because its not right!" Skull protested. "She's not a lab animal! She has feelings, just like a human." 

"How do you know?" asked Bulk, shocked. 

"Because," Skull said, "she's my friend. And if you want to kill her, that makes her a better friend than you." 

Bulk gave him a stricken look. "What are you talking about?" 

Skull paused for a moment, weighing his words carefully. Everyone was staring at him, as if they were afraid of him, as if he was... He knew what to say, and he said it, first in Tienese, and then in English. 

"_T'kala e chira, t'ka e va_. If she is an alien, then so am I!" he said. 

He spoke another word, too, one that made fires flash briefly around him before he took on his new form. Bulk and the Professor could only watch in a kind of stupefied shock as the person they thought they knew took out a laser and shot the lock off their cage. It gave a crackle of sparks before it died, and the door swung open. Cedar, as a bird took to the air and alighted on Skull's shoulders. For a moment, the Dark Falcon stood watching his friends, and they stared back, in the same room and yet millions of miles and thousands of years apart. 

*_I really don't belong here anymore,_* thought Skull. A crushing wave of homesickness hit him, and home looked a lot like a little upstairs room in a comfortable Tienese house. He sighed deeply and shook his head. 

"I'm sorry," was all he could say. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm so sorry, Bulk, but I can't stay here." 

He turned and walked silently out the door - even the machines seemed to be quieter out of respect. A few moments had to pass before Bulk could work up the courage too look outside to see where his friend had gone. At first, he couldn't find him, but then he looked to the sky, just in time to see to soaring figures vanishing from sight over the tops of buildings. 

~*~

Villamax took a moment to compose himself before entering the throne room of his queen. There must not be any hint of failure in his attitude when he met with her, or punishment was bound to follow. He had to make it look as if he had done exactly what he had intended to do, and be ready to justify it when she asked. He sighed a little; a subordinate's life wasn't an easy one. 

"Your majesty, I have returned," he said as he walked through the doors. 

"That's obvious," answered Trakeena sarcastically. "Did you find out anything?" 

"As a matter of fact, I did. Nothing you're going to like, though," he replied. 

"I'll be the judge of that. Let's hear it." 

"There appears to be a new hero on Terra Venture," Villamax answered. "He calls himself the Dark Falcon, and he thwarted my attack on the Power Rangers, so he clearly sides with them." 

"Great, just what I don't need," muttered Trakeena. "Another goody-good getting in my way. I guess he's the one with that new power, then?" 

"That would be the obvious deduction," agreed Villamax, "though it is possible that-" 

"Actually, he is," interrupted a voice. Trakeena and Villamax turned around to see Kegler, who had walked into the room unnoticed while they were having their discussion. 

"Is what?" asked Villamax, a bit irritated at the breach in manners. 

"Is the one with the new power," Kegler answered. "One of them, anyway. There are four... or there are sometimes. I have it all decoded now. Here, have a look." 

He handed a few sheets of paper - computer printouts - to Trakeena, who tried to look at them as if she understood what they said. When it came to computers, she had never even gotten so far as learning how to play video solitaire, and the rows of symbols and complicated computer terms were thoroughly alien to her. 

"I'll just keep these for future reference," she said, after a moment's thought. "You can just explain the gist of it to Villamax, so he'll know what to do about it." 

"Yes, your majesty," Kegler answered with a slight bow. "It's really not that complicated. The computer was able to locate four separate powers moving around on Terra Venture - that's beside the Power Rangers. I checked, but these are completely different. Three of them are stable, but the fourth one keeps disappearing! I don't know what to make of it." 

"I'm not surprised. It's a good thing I do," a new voice chimed in. No one had to look; there was only one other member of their crew left, and only one person in the universe with that distinctive accent and metallic reverberation to his speech. 

"Keeping secrets from us, Deviot?" Trakeena inquired. 

"Not so much of a secret as a bit of eclectic knowledge," Deviot replied. "I am familiar with these powers you've picked up. Have you ever chanced to hear of Fenikus and Garudan?" 

Villamax looked puzzled. "The Firebird and the Thunderbird? But those are just fairy tales, Deviot! I suppose next you'll be wanting me to believe in the tooth fairy." 

"Don't scorn things you don't understand, Villamax," answered Deviot mildly. "The Elemental Birds do exist. I've heard it from very reliable sources. More importantly, their warriors exist. The Knights of All Times were disbanded years ago, but it seems one or two have managed to resurface. They should be crushed completely before they have time to fully regroup. If they do that, they'll be a menace to evil everywhere." 

"And just how do you propose to do that?" asked Trakeena. 

"By eliminating the Dark Falcon, to start with. He is traditionally the Firebird's right-hand man, and thus, one of the most powerful members of the team," Deviot replied. "But if you're speaking of ways and means, I have already taken care of that problem." 

He snapped his fingers, and a creature appeared in a crimson flash. It was a scuttling beast with a slightly hunched back and bent limbs. Its only clothing was a ragged bit of black cloth tied around its waste, revealing a body held taut by wiry muscles, and its shiny red skin gave it the look of a comic-strip devil. Spikes protruded from its knees, elbows, shoulders, and almost anywhere else they could conveniently be fitted, and a pair of jagged gold antlers sprouted from its forehead. It had a long, thin tail, also tipped with barbs, and its hands and feet were well- equipped with claws. A huge mouth gaped, showing of triple rows of yellow teeth. It bobbed its head to Trakeena in greeting as it looked around the room in nervous movements, twitching and scuttling with nervous energy. 

"What in the universe is that?" Trakeena, staring at the thing distrustfully. 

"This," answered Deviot, "is a Thornspike. I've been saving it for a special occasion." 

"Not the most dangerous looking thing I've ever seen," Kegler mutter. 

The Thornspike snarled and snapped at him, whipping its tail angrily, and Kegler jumped back in alarm. 

"Here, now! Stop that!" Villmax scolded it, putting his sword between the creature and Kegler. "You're supposed to be fighting the Dark Falcon, not him!" 

"Yeah, you heard him!" Trakeena added. "Get going!" 

The monster gave Trakeena a malicious look and hissed, baring all its considerable teeth in a wicked grin, and then vanished. 

"I don't _like_ that thing," Kegler complained. 

Trakeena smiled. "Neither will the Dark Falcon." 

~*~

Skull sat dejectedly on a rooftop, head bowed in a kind of despair. Cedar hovered nearby, a wing folded around his shoulders in a sympathetic gesture. For a while, they just sat there in silence. Skull was the first to speak. 

"I'm sorry I made you go through all that," he said quietly. 

"Is not your fault, Eugene. You did not mean for it to happen," Cedar answered. 

"But I knew, Cedar! I knew about the alien thing. I didn't even warn you!" said Skull. "If I hadn't come back in time, they might have killed you, and it would have been my doing. I'm the one who brought you here. I took you to them." 

"It is all rrright," Cedar assured him. "None of this was your intention. Is only bad luck. Everything is all rrright, now. No von vas hurt." 

No one? Skull shook his head. He'd seen that look in his best friend's eyes. It was a look of shock, but it was pain, too. It was a kind of betrayal. Who could blame him for being surprised by that kind of turn of events? Skull had never defied Bulk like that before. He had disagreed, sometimes, and had even voiced arguments on occasion, but to openly make a declaration of complete separation like that was something that had never crossed his mind before. Then, suddenly, there Skull had been, glaring at his first true friend as if he had suddenly turned into a monster and accusing him of murder, and Bulk looking back at him as if he was... 

As if he was a hero, Skull realized. Not in the good sense of the word, either. If there was one thing Bulk had always wanted it was to be a hero, to have the spotlight and attention and applause. It had always been a sort of given that Bulk was the leader, the one who was going to do great things someday, and Skull was just going to be his sidekick and bask in reflected glory from his more upwardly mobile partner. And now Skull was a hero with magical powers and the fate of worlds in his hands, and Bulk served hamburgers in a diner. It hadn't been planned or intended or even thought about at all, but Skull had just hurt his friend deeply, and he didn't know if he'd ever be able to bridge that gulf again. 

"I just lost my best friend," Skull said softly. 

~*~

Firebird was now feeling somewhat more at ease, owing mainly to the disappearance of his interfering brother. He was more than a little annoyed with the Thunderbird at this point. He had hoped that the disaster in Oryllia had been enough to keep his sibling out of his way, if not permanently, then at least a little longer than this. On the other hand, he was in the future now, by more than ten thousand years, and there was no telling what had been going on since then. Perhaps he shouldn't have been so surprised that Thunderbird had taken to the winds again. 

"**Ah, well, it makes no difference,**" Firebird said to himself. "**I am still the strongest of the two. I can take care of him.**" 

He might have said more, but at that moment, a metal ball of spikes suddenly whizzed past him, just barely missing his wingtip. He shouted and turned to search for the source of the projectile. His keen gaze fell on a devilish, toothy creature that was leering up at him with a mad grin, holding a few more spike balls. 

"Bird!" it barked at him. "Destroy bird!" 

"**I'm insulted,**" the Firebird replied. "**I'm not just some ordinary bird, foul creature, I am the Firebird, and I don't appreciate being assaulted.**" 

"Bird! Thornspike kill bird!" the creature ranted back. "Heeeere, birdie, birdie. Nice birdie. C'mere an' let Thornspike bash head in!" 

"**What a moron,**" Firebird muttered. "**Someone needs to put this cretin out of his misery.**" 

Swooping lower, he fanned sparks from his wings that lit on the Thornspike and blistered its skin. The beast let out an earsplitting shriek of rage and pain and lobbed a few more of the spike-spheres in the Firebird's direction. Firebird dodged it easily and tossed a few more sparks at the monster, laughing at how easy it all was. That was before the monster suddenly pounced on him, raking his wings and back with those cruel talons, and the Firebird suddenly remembered what agony felt like. 

In that same instant, Skull suddenly snapped out of his self-pity and straight into a state of high alarm, complete with a jolt of adrenaline that made him feel as if he'd just been shot. He looked all around in search of the disturbance's cause. Cedar looked at him in surprise. 

"Vat's wrong?" she asked worriedly. 

"I... think it's the Firebird," Skull replied, surprised that he knew. "He's in trouble... really _bad_ trouble." 

"Any trrrouble he gets in is his own fault," Cedar said. 

Skull shook his head. "It's not that kind of trouble. It's danger. He's been hurt, I can feel it. I've got to help him." There was no doubting that. He was the Dark Falcon, and something of the Firebird was integral to his own being. If the Firebird died, some part of the Dark Falcon would go with him. 

"I vill help, then," said Cedar resignedly. She touched a wingtip to the Crystal of All Times and whispered the transformation phrase. As her new form became clear, she, too, turned her gaze away to the distance, sensing the danger. She nodded to Skull, and he nodded back. 

"One more time, Cedar," he said. "Up, up, and away!" 

~*~

The Firebird lay in a beaten pile of smoldering feathers, eyes half closed in all-consuming pain. In one blinding moment, he'd been thrown out of the sky and set spinning down to land on the flat roof of some run-down building, and there it would end. He was finished, defeated, ready to be obliterated. The proud bird's frame was literally shaking in terror, as he saw the end of his journey approaching. The Thunderbird had been right. He was not Immortal anymore. He was achingly mortal, and he was about to die. 

The Thornspike leered at him, chattering its long teeth in anticipation. It raised one hand, ready to slash the fallen bird to ribbons. 

"Destroy bird!" it laughed. "Thornspike kill bird, make dead forever!" 

"Is there some way of making things dead that isn't permanent?" a voice inquired. 

The Thornspike turned around - too late. Skull was already leaping at it, sword held ready. The monster tried to doge anyway, and the blade scraped across its bare back. The Dark Falcon put himself between the Firebird and the monster, striking a defensive pose. Firebird managed to raise his head to stare up at the young hero. 

"**You... saved me,**" he gasped. 

Skull shrugged. "Well, you're my friend... a weird friend, but definitely a friend." 

The Firebird blinked his surprise, momentarily too stunned to speak. 

*_After all I've done for him? He honestly doesn't know! I should have known all along - he is truly a pure-hearted being. Nothing I can do... I'll leave him alone, then. No use trying to stop him, not without help, or unless I can recover what I've lost... Maybe it would be better to leave him out of all this entirely. He doesn't know, he doesn't need to know, he won't find out. I'll just let him do as he pleases and stay out of his way..._* 

The monster scrambled to its feet again, it's claws screeching on the paved roof, and it glared malevolently at Skull. 

"Human," it hissed. "Bird-human." 

"That's right, ugly," Skull replied confidently. At the same time, he was assessing the beast's claws, horns, teeth, muscles, and spikes, and thinking that this was not going to be a very enjoyable afternoon. 

The Thornspike grinned. "_Destroy_ bird-man!" 

"Not today!" Cedar sang, dropping out of the sky and seizing the thing's shoulders. The Thornspike bellowed and thrashed as the Gold Eagle lifted him several feet into the air. Skull couldn't help grinning a little - it looked so much like a puppet on a string. 

"Hold him steady!" he said, shifting his sword back to laser setting. "Ready, aim..." 

The monster gave a sudden wrench, breaking free of Cedar's grip. It somersaulted in midair and landed lightly on its feet. Another quick movement made a ball of metal spikes appear in both of his hands, and he lobbed them at the startled Falcon. One of them missed its mark, but Skull wasn't quick enough in dodging the second, and he screamed in pain as the spines bit his shoulder. Cedar shrieked a battle cry and dove at the beast, but it leaped nimbly out of the way, twisting to lash at her with its tail. 

"Ha, ha, ha, ha! Thornspike make all birds dead!" it laughed. 

Skull grinned as he saw a flicker of movement behind the monster. "I think you'd better think again!" 

"Huh?" asked the beast, face creasing in puzzlement. "Not make dead?" 

"Not if _we_ have anything to say about it!" said a strong voice. 

Thornspike whirled and found himself faced with a row of brightly-costumed and impressively armed people - people who could only be the Power Rangers. 

"It's all over for you, monster!" said the Magna Defender, readying his blaster. "Everyone ready to teach this creep a lesson?" 

"Ready," the other Rangers agreed, producing their Quasar Launchers. 

"Count me in," the Dark Falcon added, holding up his laser. 

"What? What going on?" asked the monster in frightened confusion. 

Leo trained his Quasar Launcher on the monster. "Ready, guys? _Fire!_" 

"Quasar Launchers!" 

"Magna Blaster!" 

"Phoenix Phaser!" 

From all directions, the monster was assaulted with burning lights. It let out a final scream of pain before falling to dust, leaving nothing but a single ball of spikes to mark its passing. Cedar fluttered cautiously closer to it, and it fell to a pile of rust flakes at her touch. 

The Red Ranger stepped forward to speak to the Dark Falcon. 

"Are you all right?" he asked. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," Skull replied. "Thanks for your help. We couldn't have done it without you." 

"No problem. We're glad to return the favor," said the Red Ranger. "What was that thing doing here, anyway?" 

"It was looking for us, I think," answered Skull thoughtfully. "I think that last one was, too. We don't really belong here... I'm beginning to think it's time we left." 

"You don't have to go," Magna Defender suggested. "We'd be glad to have you on our team." 

"Who, me? With the Power Rangers? I couldn't," said Skull. "Thanks, but no. This isn't my home, and if I stay here, there will just be more creatures looking for me and my friends." 

"If that's the way you feel..." the Red Ranger replied. "It's been nice knowing you, Dark Falcon. Good luck." 

"Thanks," Skull replied, smiling a little. "Who knows, maybe we'll see each other again someday." 

"I hope so," answered the Red Ranger. He and Skull shook hands. Then Skull turned to his avian companions. 

"Come on," he said. "I'm ready to get out of here... but first, there's something I've got to do." 

~*~

Bulk was in the park, alone, just wandering around and staring at nothing, lost in a daze. Skull stood behind him for a long time, unnoticed, trying to work up the courage to speak. 

"Are you mad at me?" he said at last. 

Bulk jumped. He looked around and stared at his friend for a while, uncertain. 

"I'm not mad," he said. "I'm just... really confused. How in the world did...?" 

"I don't even know how it happened myself," Skull confessed. "It just all happened so fast. I never meant for any of this to happen, it just... did. And now I can never go back to the way things were. I'm sorry." 

"Why do you have to apologize?" asked Bulk. 

"Because I took your dream," Skull replied. "Because I've got what you wanted, and you aren't going to get it. And because I can't be here for you anymore." 

"Yeah," said Bulk with a sigh. "I guess I knew that all along. Everything's changed, hasn't it?" 

"Yep," Skull replied. "Everything sure has." 

"And you really aren't going to stay here, are you?" 

"No. I know that, now. It's really weird... I don't even feel like a human anymore. I don't know what I am." 

"That's easy," said Bulk. "You're some kind of bird... a really weird bird with no feathers and no wings." 

Skull was surprised into laughing, and Bulk smiled back at him. 

"Nah, really," Bulk said. "Anybody can see what you are: you're a hero." 

"I sure don't feel like it, sometimes," Skull replied. "But I try." 

"You'll do fine," Bulk assured him. "Hey, I taught you everything I know, didn't I?" 

Skull laughed again. "Yeah, you did. You've been a great friend, Bulkie." 

"You too, Skull. No matter what happens, you'll always be my best friend." 

"Thanks. That means a lot to me," said Skull, smiling. "I promise I'll come back and visit sometimes. Hey, maybe I'll even catch the Professor a _real_ evil space alien!" 

"That would be good," Bulk agreed. He paused. "So... I guess this is... goodbye?" 

"Yeah," said Skull. "I guess it is." 

"Take care of yourself, then." 

"You, too." 

They stood looking at each other for a long moment, unsure of what else to say. Then, a bit awkwardly, Skull hugged his best friend, and for once, Bulk didn't seem embarrassed by it. 

"I'm gonna miss you, Skull," he said. 

"So will I." 

They went their own separate ways, waving brief, silent goodbyes. Skull smiled a little, even while brushing away a tear. There went the kind of friend, he mused, that nothing would ever separate him from. He was very glad of the fact, too. 

Cedar and the Firebird were hiding in a secluded area nearby, waiting for Skull to return. 

"Say goodbye to your friend?" Cedar inquired. 

"Yeah, I'm ready to go now," Skull replied. "It sure will feel good to be back on Tien... back home." 

"You're going to stay there?" asked Cedar, a bit surprised. 

"Yeah," Skull agreed. "I think I've finally figured out where I belong. Your people are the Dark Falcon's people, and that makes them my people. Your home is my home." 

"I'm very happy," said Cedar, smiling. "Ready to go?" 

"Ready," Skull agreed. "I've learned a lot from coming here, but I wouldn't want to stay." 

"Let's go, then," Cedar replied. 

Touching the magical amulet at her throat, she whispered a magic word that made her and her companions vanish in a swirl of gold-orange mist. However, none of them noticed when a fourth member joined the party. 

*_I am sorry to do this to you, Dark Falcon,_* thought the Thunderbird, *_but I must hold you to your promise. As much as it will hurt you, you must go on fighting, or my own home and people will be lost forever..._*   
  


[][1]  
  


   [1]: index.html



	8. The Copper Band

The Copper Band  
By: SilvorMoon  
  
p If the days were stifling, the nights were all but fatally suffocating. When the sun was up,  
the air was heavy and muggy, casting a grey haze over what could have been an otherwise  
pleasant city, and the scents on the wind were of mold and garbage. It was always hot, and even  
breathing could get difficult at times, so that mothers kept their frailest children indoors where the  
air was purer, and older men and women leaned on canes before their time for fear of dizzy spells.  
It was cooler at night, but the haze remained, a cold, biting fog that burned the lungs and froze  
faces into blank expressions when they would have preferred to smile. Strangely enough, the fog  
tapered off and vanished by the time it reached the furthest edges of the city. You could even see  
the stars, sometimes, if you were lucky enough to live in the outskirts of town. Beyond the city  
limits, the air was clean and clear, almost sweet, but nobody went there, not if they cared for their  
lives. Guards stood at the gates of the city to prevent people from straying, and to be caught  
scaling the walls or digging escape tunnels meant instant death.   
P At one of the gates, the one most distant from the king's palace, and therefore, the most  
neglected, two guards leaned boredly against the rough stone walls, hoping that enough of their  
body heat would seep into the bricks to keep at least their backs warm. They rubbed their arms  
and shivered, sometimes pressing their hands to their faces in an effort to thaw their numb noses.   
p "How much longer 'till our shift's over, Zeel?" asked one of them.  
p The second guard scanned the sky. "Captain said to stay put until the moon reached it's  
high point. That'll be another couple of hours."  
p "We'll both be frozen stiff before that happens," said the first guard. "Not even a cup of  
soup to warm our hands."  
P "Quit your griping, Frak. We're getting paid good money to stand here and do nothing.  
You won't get a better offer than that."  
p "Guess you're right... Say, what's that over there?"  
p "Over where? I don't see anything."  
p "Not inside the gate. Look outside, up on that hill. There's a sort of a light."  
P Zeel stared out into the darkness. On the hill was a collection of pillars and stones, ruins  
left over from a better time. They had always been there, and, once they had gotten over their  
superstitious fears, most of the city folk ignored them. However, tonight, there seemed to be a  
pale blue-green-white glow emanating from the forgotten temple. The guard's features creased in  
concern.  
p "Think we should check it out?" asked Frak nervously. Here in the cold, foggy darkness,  
the tales his mother had told him as a wide-eyed child were coming back with full force.  
p "Might be a trick," Zeel muttered. "Someone using illusions to lure us away so they can  
escape."  
p "Might be evil spirits," said Frak.  
p "No such things," scoffed Zeel. "Look. If there iare/i evil spirits, we'd best leave  
them alone. If it's a trick, we'd best stay put. If it's someone who's sneaked out, it wasn't by us.  
Let someone else get in trouble."  
p "You're right. Best to just stay here," Frak agreed. "So, how much longer?"  
p "I told you, a couple of hours. A little less, now that we've wasted the last few minutes  
arguing."  
p "All right, all right. Don't have to bite my head off."   
p Frak sighed. Two hours, and then he could go home to a bowl of stew and his pretty  
young wife and get himself properly warm again. Two hours to kill... He turned his gaze back to  
the top of the hill, where the only action of interest was going on. Yes, there was definitely a light  
up there. It looked almost like it was moving.  
Pcenter~*~/center  
p When Skull landed, he was hit instantly by a rush of cold air. He looked around, blinded  
by the sudden darkness - it had been sunny where he had just come from, and his eyes weren't  
ready for this. He heard a startled squawk that could only have come from the Firebird, and  
Cedar's hand reached for his. He blinked a little, trying to adjust his vision. Gradually, the light of  
the stars and the Elemental Bird on his shoulder revealed that he was standing on a level patch of  
brown stone, surrounded by columns and arches reaching up toward a clear cold sky. Behind him  
loomed a square stone structure with a gaping doorway full of shadows. It was not where he was  
supposed to be at all.  
p "What happened?" he asked aloud. "This isn't Tien, is it?"  
p "bIt most certainly is not,/b" said the Firebird in disapproval. "bWe've been  
moved again./b"  
p "Uh-oh," said Skull. "You mean like when we ended up in Florida?" He looked around  
nervously, as if he expected a second Chronavius to appear... or maybe the original. He never had  
learned the fate of his strange enemy. Might he be lurking around somewhere, waiting to launch  
another attack?  
p "bSomething like that. We are on a fair-sized planet in the Ikula galaxy, located in the  
Beta Quadrant of the universe. The time is approximately three Earth-years before we arrived in  
your city of Miami./b"  
p "A long way from home," Cedar commented. "Should we try again?"  
p "Would it work?" asked Skull. "If somebody brought us here, they might not like us  
leaving so soon."  
p "But it might be an enemy," Cedar pointed out. "Might be dangerous to stay."  
p "bPerhaps yes, perhaps no,/b" said the Firebird thoughtfully. "bI'm sensing a  
familiar aura somewhere nearby... within a few miles, I should say. I would like to stay long  
enough to investigate more closely./b"   
p "Humph. And so we must risk our safety for your curiosity?" asked Cedar.  
p Skull had stopped listening. There was something else nagging him, something he couldn't  
quite put his finger on, but it was undeniably there.   
p "I think the Firebird has the right idea for once," said Skull, ignoring the bird's scathing  
glare. "Something here wants us to stay... I don't know why, but I think it's friendly. We're here  
for a reason."  
p Cedar paused, looking around. Her fingers touched the Crystal of All Times, and it  
glowed faintly in response. She nodded slowly.  
p "I think you are right," she said. "Someone good is here. They need us."  
p "bRight, then,/b" said the Firebird. "bYou can look for whoever it is if you want  
to. As for me, I intend to look up an old acquaintance or two. It may be that I can find some  
allies./b"  
P Without waiting for any words of agreement or argument, he unfolded his blazing wings  
and soared off into the night, heading toward a cluster of lights in the distance. Skull watched him  
go with a shrug.   
p "Hope he doesn't cause any riots," he said.  
p "Should we have let him go?" asked Cedar. "He can get in so much trouble."  
p "iTrue,/i" said a voice, "ibut he could get into more if he listened to our  
conversation. He is not worthy of trust in his present manifestation./i"  
p Cedar and Skull jumped, looking around for the speaker. The air in front of them seemed  
to shimmer and thicken, becoming a thin mist, then a fog, then a bank of roiling storm clouds.  
Before the glowing shape formed in the heart of them, Skull already knew who to expect.  
P "Garudan!" he said.  
p "You know this creature, Eugene?" asked Cedar, looking with wonder at the storm-being.  
P "We met... I mean, we're going to meet... I mean... What time is it?"  
p The Thunderbird chuckled, though not unkindly. "iWe have met, and we will meet, and  
I am pleased to meet you again. Lady Cedar, I am Garudan, known as the Thunderbird. I offer  
you such poor welcome as I can to my home. This world is known as Oryllia, and I am its sworn  
protector./i"  
P "Thunderbird..." said Cedar thoughtfully, head bowed in concentration. Then she looked  
up as realization hit. "The Lost Planet! This is the Lost Planet my father has told of - the one that  
disappeared years ago. Why is it still here?"  
p "iIt never disappeared at all, fortunately. That is the stuff of legends,/i" answered  
Garudan. "iThe true story is one that not even your honorable father knows. However, if you  
would both be so kind as to walk with me a little way, I will tell you the whole story. Indeed, that  
is why you have been brought here. Eugene, Dark Falcon, you made a promise to me that you  
would help me save my people. I will not hold you to that promise - it was my doing, in part, that  
led to their downfall, and there would be justice in making me pay the full price for my crimes -  
but I do want you to know the history, and what part you are playing in it. What I am about to tell  
you is the story of the Dark Falcon./i"  
p "History?" Skull repeated. "You mean, someone had my job before I did? I thought the  
Firebird created the Dark Falcon powers for ime./i"  
p "iHe did take part in their creation, but it was eons before you came along,/i"  
Garudan replied. "iCome. There is much to discuss./i"  
p The Thunderbird turned and glided slowly into the dark temple. Exchanging glances of  
uncertainty, Skull and Cedar followed.   
p Inside the temple, it was dark and cold, which Skull had expected. However, it was not as  
cold as it was outside, and the darkness was held at bay by the Thunderbird's pale blue-silver  
glow. It proved to be much smaller than it had appeared from the outside, layered in shadows as it  
was. Inside, it was only a square room with flat walls and a small altar of some sort, with a rough  
image of a plumed bird hanging above it. The walls were painted with pictures, like cave  
paintings, and Skull moved to inspect them.  
p "iPictograms,/i" Garudan explained, "ipainted thousands of years ago to record  
our story. Some of them ought to look familiar./i"  
p "Yeah. This one's the Firebird, right?" asked Skull, pointing at the multicolored bird-  
shape, faded by long years. "And that's you, and that's the Dark Falcon. But who are these other  
guys?"  
p The patch of wall that Skull was examining featured a large and fairly detailed image of  
the two Elemental Birds and, not one, but three costumed heroes. The Dark Falcon's black and  
crimson was still easy to make out, even after centuries of neglect. To the left of that picture was  
another, less distinct figure, painted mostly in white, trimmed with some other color that might  
have once been red or orange. To the right was one in the silvers and blues of the Thunderbird.  
Someone had apparently mixed bits of mica or something else glittery into the paint, for the silver  
trim on the costume still sparkled.   
p "iThose two were once companions of the Dark Falcon, his teammates. They are called  
the White Peregrine and the Storm Raven,/i" Garudan explained. "iThey were one of the  
first organized groups of heroes in the universe, a powerful force against evil. They were known  
as the Knights of All Times. We meant for them to last that long, but things did not fall out  
according to our intentions./i"  
p "I have teammates?" asked Skull. "Where are they? Why aren't they helping me?"  
p "iThe team disbanded ages ago. You see, the team was created, not only by the  
Firebird, but by me as well. I gave power to the Storm Raven, he to the White Peregrine, and the  
Dark Falcon was meant to be the combination of both our powers, thus, the leader and most  
powerful. It didn't work out like that, I'm afraid. Make yourselves comfortable, and I'll tell you  
the whole story from the beginning./i  
p "IYou have probably guessed by now that the Firebird is my brother. We were both  
hatched from the eggs of a being called the Sunbird by some, and sometimes the Phoenix. She  
was only a Near Immortal, capable of being injured or killed if a force with enough power is  
aimed at her. Yet, her beauty was such that she was briefly taken as a consort by one of the True  
Immortals, and my brother and I were born of that union. Because of our heritage, we rest oddly  
in the great scheme of things. We are neither true mortals nor Immortals, but somewhere in  
between. We were given this privilege by the Powers that Be: that we should be made True  
Immortals if we abided by certain rules - namely, that we must conduct ourselves in the manner of  
such beings. We were forbidden to eat mortal food, lie with mortal women, or commit certain  
reprehensible acts, such as murder. As long as we followed these rules, we would remain  
Immortal, but breaking the rules would result in a reduction in our status, to Near Immortal or  
even mortal, depending on the seriousness of the deviation./i"  
p "But... Firebird eats the same things we do," said Skull, who was having a difficult time  
following the Thunderbird's antiquated speech, "and he said he had a wife, I think."  
p "iThat is true, but I will explain it later,/i" said the Thunderbird. "iSuffice it to say,  
in the beginning, my brother and I were very careful to do as we were told and act only in ways  
that befitted Immortals. The universe was a place of wild magic, in those days, where the forces  
of Good and Evil were still roughly organized and still beginning to understand just what they  
represented. We took the opportunity to choose among those warriors there were the bravest and  
strongest, and they became our champions./i"  
p "What about me?" asked Cedar. "Dark Falcon, White Peregrine, Storm Raven... where is  
the Gold Eagle?"  
P Thunderbird chuckled again. "iMy brother still has some abilities, and there is power in  
that crystal you carry. You are a new creation... but that is not a bad thing. You have done very  
well. Someday, when my world and my power is restored, I will see to it that your image adorns  
my walls along with these others./i"  
P Cedar nodded. Somehow, she didn't doubt that the Thunderbird would keep his promise;  
he seemed as honest and trustworthy as the Firebird was secretive and deceitful.  
p "Go on with the story!" Skull urged. "What happened to the Knights?"  
p "iThey did just what Knights were supposed to do - protected the universe from villains  
and fought evil where they found it. However, I regret to say that their mentors did not behave as  
admirably. As the Knights gained fame and glory, we became jealous, not only of them, but of  
each other. We argued over whose avatar was the greatest, and over which of us had the most to  
do with the Dark Falcon's success. In the end, our quarrels grew so heated that we declared  
eternal enmity with each other, and the team was broken apart. We both retreated to our chosen  
homeworlds, he to your world of Tien and I to this place, Oryllia... What do you think of it?/i"  
p "Well, it's..." Skull foundered for words. "It's kinda chilly."  
p He was a bit afraid that the Thunderbird would be offended, but the bird only laughed  
again - a little sadly, Skull thought.  
P "iIt was once a beautiful world,/i" he said. "iIt was very much like Tien, in some  
ways. It was a summer world, a place of artisans and scholars. The two worlds were allies, once,  
before things fell apart, but once my brother and I made our vows, they separated from each other  
completely. The two worlds followed the example of their protectors and cut off all  
communications between each other, and my world in particular became proud and standoffish.  
Oryllia became so cloaked in secrecy that the Tienese took to calling it the Lost Planet. It's very  
sad, really./i"  
p There was a pause, as the Thunderbird contemplated the events of the past. Skull fidgeted.  
Outside, the wind was howling, tossing random cold drafts into the room, and he tried to suppress  
a shiver. The room seemed to be getting darker the longer he kept his eyes fixed on the glowing  
thing in front of him, until it seemed that Garudan was the only thing left in the universe. He  
looked so lonely, so sad, so ifrail/i with the dark fog showing right through him. What had  
happened to him to make him look like that, so different from the cocksure Firebird? As if on cue,  
the Thunderbird began to speak again.  
p "iThe Firebird was the first of us to fall. After all, fire is his nature. He is much more...  
mercurial than I am. He became enamored with a sorceress-woman, a lady Pyromancer, whom he  
took for his wife. I am given to understand that their children were the founders of the race of  
Aerials. I think it is fortunate that the union did not last long./i"  
p "He broke up with her or something, didn't he?" asked Skull. "Firebird said she had a bad  
temper."  
p "iDid he?/i" asked the Thunderbird, surprised into laughing. "iHe would say  
something like that, wouldn't he? She did have quite a temper, I recall. She was a beautiful  
woman, but she had a weakness for power, and the Firebird promised her all she wanted if she  
went along with his whims. When she finally began to learn how deceptive her husband could be,  
she decided to create a better means of borrowing his magic./i" He nodded in Cedar's direction  
as he added, "iShe decided to create the Crystal of All Times./i"  
P "This was created?" asked Cedar, touching the copy of the stone that hung at her throat.  
"I though it just... was."  
p "iPhysical things never just are,/i" Garudan corrected gently. "iShe made the stone  
as a gift for him, flattering him by telling him it was created for the true mastermind behind the  
Knights. She'd enchanted it with a wishing spell, and she told him that it would give him whatever  
he desired. Instead, it trapped him within the stone, where it absorbed much of its power, so that  
she could use it as she willed. When she grew tired of it, she left it on Tien and went out in search  
of other adventures. It was passed down through the generations until you two finally broke  
it./i"  
P "And the Firebird gave me three wishes," Skull supplied.  
p "iIt was required. The wishing spell was never lifted, so you had to make your wishes  
to set him free./i"  
p "Oh," said Skull. "So that's why he was being so pushy about it."  
p Garudan looked interested. "iCould you elaborate a little on that?/i"  
P "I dunno. He just kept telling me what kind of wishes to make, like he thought what I was  
wishing for was dumb."  
P "iCouldn't he have waited a little longer?/i" asked the Thunderbird, mostly to  
himself. "iYou'd think he would have at least done bsome/b thinking while he was  
imprisoned!/i"  
p "He was not very nice," said Cedar. "He thought Eugene should not wish to save my  
father!"  
p "iOf course he did,/i" Thunderbird answered bitterly. "/iThe terms of the spell  
were that it would trap only those whose wishes were selfish. Since your friend made his wishes  
with others in mind, he remained safe, and the spell was broken. If he had been thinking only of  
himself, he would have fallen into the same trap as the Firebird had./i"  
p Skull went wide-eyed with alarm. "You mean he was out to get me?"  
P "iIndubitably,/i" answered Garudan.   
P "But why?" asked Cedar. "What did Eugene ever do to him? He set him free! Why would  
he try to trap him?"  
p "IBecause it would have given him control over him. That, I think, is the one thing  
Fenikus loves more than anything else. He was bad about it before, but he grew even worse when  
he began losing his powers. Being able to manipulate people makes him feel like he still has  
power, and he will go to great lengths to get it./i"  
p Skull nodded. "He does boss us around an awful lot, now that you mention it."  
P Garudan nodded. "iI believe he gave you the Dark Falcon powers because he saw you  
as weak-willed and easy to manipulate - possibly because you seemed more concerned with others  
than yourself. Controlling the Dark Falcon would have given him a kind of power again. He  
misjudged you./i"  
P "He did?" asked Skull. "When?"  
P "iAt various points. I seem to remember something about you threatening to strangle  
him?/i"  
P "Oh, yeah, that."  
P "When did that happen?" asked Cedar.  
P "Way back, when we had that little argument about the Firestrike monster."  
P "And you threatened to strangle him?"  
P "I was trying to get him to apologize."  
P "IWhatever the reason, you proved your independence, and he would not stand for  
that,/I" Thunderbird cut in. "iAnd that is why he decided he needed to be rid of you./i"  
P "Rid?" Skull repeated. "You mean, like, killing me? But he didn't!"  
P "iHe tried it,/i" answered Thunderbird. "iWhy do you think he found it so  
important that you should go in single combat against the most powerful and evil man in the  
universe?/I"  
P "I knew it!" said Cedar. "I iknew/i he couldn't be trusted! Did you hear that,  
Eugene? He was trying to kill you!"  
P "I don't believe it," said Skull. "Why?"  
P "iBecause he doesn't like you. He does not trust you. In his mind, if you are not  
working for him, you are likely to turn against him, and he will not stand for that. You must be  
wary, Eugene. I fear he will make a second attempt to remove you from his path./i"  
p "I'll be careful," Skull promised.   
P "What about you?" asked Cedar. "You haven't said anything about yourself, yet."  
p Thunderbird sighed. "ITrue. And that is what I wanted to tell you... it is not easy. I  
lasted longer than my brother did, but eventually, I was stricken with the same disease. Just as he  
did, I tried to find a loophole in the laws that ruled me, allowing me to retain my powers and still  
have the same lifestyle my brother was enjoying. I eventually encountered a powerful sorcerer  
who offered to help me get my way in exchange for part rulership of Oryllia. I agreed, and that  
began my downfall. The longer the arrangement went on, the more of my immortality I lost, and  
the more I became dependent upon my helper. Little by little, he took control of my world and  
siphoned away my powers, until he became my absolute ruler, and I his servant, a twisted version  
of my former self. You might have even called me a monster./i" He paused, deep in thought.  
Finally, almost inaudibly, he added, "iI created two monsters, really. He became what you  
know as Lord Zedd, and I became Chronavius./i"  
P "What?!" exclaimed Skull and Cedar together.  
P "iI was lucky to meet you, back on Tien,/i" said Thunderbird. "iIt was meeting  
you  
that turned me around. By that point, I had lost most of my memories of who I was. I was down  
to almost nothing - a warped version of my former shape and some of my former power. Zedd  
didn't even recognize me at that point. But my encounter with you reminded me that I used to be  
something more, and I turned on my master. I think he killed me,/i" he added, as an  
afterthought.  
P "But you don't look very dead to me," Skull protested.  
P "iDon't I? I was under the impression that you ordinarily couldn't see through living  
beings./i"  
p "Oh. Good point."  
P "iBecause I was once an Immortal, and because I died for a good cause, I have been  
gifted with partial life - perhaps what you might call a ghost,/i" said the Thunderbird. "iI  
have been returned to this place with the mission of undoing what I have done. My mission is to  
save Oryllia from the grip of evil, and to reclaim the lost half of my soul./i"  
p "Soul?" Cedar repeated. "How can you lose your soul? I cannot imagine what half a soul  
would look like."  
P "iIt is one of the ways I bound myself to this world,/i" Garudan explained. "iMy  
soul is bound inextricably to that of the true king. Towards the end, Zedd demanded that I make  
him the next king of Oryllia. I still had enough presence of mind to refuse, so he did the next best  
thing: he put the true king into a state of stasis. He is not dead, so the soul link is still there, but he  
cannot work with me any longer, cannot give me strength. As he and I weakened, so did Oryllia,  
and thus Zedd was able to take full control of the world and me. I am powerless to reverse this  
process. You must find the king and awaken him. Only then will I be able to drive out the evil that  
affects this world and return my home to what it once was./i"  
p "Hold up a minute. Let me get this straight," said Skull. "Do you know what you're  
asking me to do? You're not just asking me to fight off monsters anymore. You want me to go  
into a planet that the bad guys have already taken over and help you take it back, and you want  
me to do it by waking up a dead king. It's impossible! What are two people, a bird, and a ghost  
going to do against a whole planet?"  
p "iActually, I think it's going to be mostly you and Cedar,/i" said Garudan  
thoughtfully. "iI have very little power to spare, and I doubt my brother will be of very much  
help. There are too many things on this planet that he will find enjoyable to want to alter it, and as  
I said, he may not be inclined to help you. You are going to have to be rather more self-reliant  
than usual./i"  
P Skull rolled his eyes. "Great. Thanks a lot. That's really encouraging."  
P "iOn the other hand, there is one thing you have to look forward to,/i" said Garudan.  
p "Oh? What's that?"  
P "iWhen you find the sleeping king, he'll be able to help you. The King of Oryllia has  
always been the traditional carrier of the Storm Raven powers./i"  
P "Now you're talking!" Skull exclaimed. "I could use someone like that on my side. Where  
is he? How do I wake him up?"  
p Garudan hung his head regretfully. "iI'm afraid I do not know. Zedd hid him  
somewhere and kept the location a secret, closely guarded by his most powerful hiding spells. He  
knew very well what would happen if I were to ever find my missing soulmate./i"  
p "Oh, great," Skull muttered. "You don't believe in making things easy, do you?"  
p "iI would very much like to make things easy for you if I could,/i" Garudan  
answered, so gently that Skull felt ashamed for snapping. "iIt is just that, without my soulmate,  
my powers are greatly hindered. I can't even... talk to you that easily. My... power is fading.  
Corporeal presence becomes... very difficult. I am weakening. I must... go./i"  
p "Wait up!" said Skull. "There are still things I need to know!"  
p "iI can stay no longer. Seek the Band. They will.../i"  
p Before the Thunderbird had a chance to say just what the Band would do, his image  
seemed to lose all its light, and then he swirled away like the smoke of a snuffed candle. Skull and  
Cedar were left alone in the cold, dark temple.  
p "What do we do now?" asked Cedar.  
p "I guess we do what he says - seek the Band," Skull replied, "and the king. The Storm  
Raven."  
Pcenter~*~/center  
p Two voices were arguing. You could hear them echoing down the lavishly furnished halls  
of the king's castle, rebounding off cold stone or muffled by moth-eaten tapestries and stained  
carpet. Luxurious as the false king cared to make his home, there was still no escaping the blight  
that had fallen upon the city, and even new and imported objects fell into disrepair almost  
overnight. Still, the lady of the castle had enough power to keep her rooms comfortable, and it  
was from there the voices emerged. One was the lady herself, her normally cool, controlled voice  
brittle with suppressed anger. The other was a man's voice, deep and resonant, but raised a half  
octave in plaintive desparation.  
p "Charla, darling, listen..."  
p "I don't want to listen, and don't call me darling. We're through."  
p "But Charla..."  
p "No buts. I'm tired of you, all right? We're finished. History. End of story."  
p "Can't you at least consider a little while? You've always been the only one for me. I'm  
willing to forgive and forget if you'll do likewise. I still love you, Charla."  
p Charla regarded her lover (or, in her mind, her former lover) with a hard stare. She was, in  
her way, strikingly attractive, though some would hesitate to call her beautiful. If she had beauty,  
it was the same kind of harsh beauty that rested on the city, something lovely that had fallen. She  
was still long-legged and graceful, and she carried herself with the haughty pride of a queen. Her  
hair was long, flowing, and brilliant red-orange, seeming to shift colors in the candle light as if it  
itself was burning. The only thing that robbed her statuesque face of perfection was her mouth,  
which was a shade too thin-lipped, as if it had been pressed shut too often. Her eyes were dark as  
coals and hard as jet. The most remarkable thing about her was her skin, which was an utterly  
inhuman shade of pale orange.  
p As for the man, there was nothing immediately evident to show why his lady was spurning  
him. Physically, he should have been the answer to any woman's prayers. Tall, well-built, and  
enviably tanned, it was hard to find anything that could be counted as a fault. He was dressed in  
pure white clothing that almost seemed to glow, and his eyes were a singularly luminous shade of  
aquamarine. His hair was chestnut, but when the candlelight caught it, it threw of the same red-  
orange shimmers as the hair of the lady.  
p "I don't want to consider," said Charla stubbornly. "I don't even want to think about you  
anymore. You were no good back then, and you're still no good now. Besides, I've found  
someone new, in case you haven't noticed."  
p "Have you?" asked the man with an odd note of interest. "And who might that be?  
Anyone I know?"  
p "The king, who else?" Charla retorted. "iHe/i has ireal/i power around here,  
which is more than you ever had."  
p "I have power you know nothing about. I haven't let my world fall into ruin... unlike some  
people I could mention. Are you as compatible with your new love as you were with me?"  
p "We have a satisfactory arrangement, thank you," said Charla curtly.  
p "Aha!" chuckled the man. "A satisfactory arrangement. An arrangement. That sounds  
quite romantic. He must be quite the charmer."  
p Two spots of red appeared on Charla's face. "He can be, when he wants to be. This is, as I  
said, an arrangement. We both know what we want, and we fulfil each other's expectations. What  
more do we need to have?"  
p "Love," answered the man simply. "Admit it, you care nothing for him."  
p "Yes," she answered bluntly, "and the same goes for you."  
p "You're too cruel. Can't you give me a chance to prove myself to you? Name what you  
will, and I will do it for you."  
p "Go jump in a lake," Charla snapped. "I've heard that promise before. That was what you  
told me when you conned me in to marrying you, and look at what I had to go through to get rid  
of you."  
p "You haven't gotten rid of me. I'm still here. Does that not prove my devotion?"  
p Charla sighed. "You are a tiresome thing. I wish you would go away."  
p "I hear weakness there," the man said, smiling slightly. "You lie as well as I do, and I see  
through your lies as you see through mine. We're a remarkable pair."  
p "Yes," she said. "We were quite a pair."  
p "Tell me about your new lover," he said. "Is he treating you well? Is he taking proper care  
of you?"  
p "When he chooses to."  
p "When he chooses? That will never do," said the man, feigning concern. "Face it,  
Charla. You aren't happy here, and we both know it. What is this new man you've found? A lover  
or a business partner?"  
p "I never said anything about love. I told you flat out it was an arrangement. You know  
nothing about love, none of you, only greed and heat."  
p "Warmth," the man corrected. "You need someone to be there for you when you feel  
lonely. Aren't you lonely in this cold place? Don't you need a warm hand to touch you?"  
p "Go away," said Charla. "You don't love me and you know it."  
p "You don't care and you know it."  
p Charla let her eyes meet his. "Maybe I don't."  
p In one swift motion, they were together, locked in a kiss. She allowed herself to savor the  
feeling for only a moment before pushing him away.  
p "Not here. Not now," she said. "He might come and find us, and then we'll both be in  
trouble."  
p "Later, then?"  
p "Maybe," said Charla. She sighed. "Look. I'll make you a deal. You make yourself useful  
to me, and I imight/i just let you stay."  
p "More arrangements?" asked the man.  
p "Yes. That's it exactly. An arrangement to keep you from driving me up the wall. You can  
hang around if you'll live up to your promise and obey my orders. Got it?"  
p "Of course, Charla. Whatever you say," the man replied. "I can give you the power you  
crave if you trust me."  
p "That's what you said when I married you," Charla sighed. "Now, get out of here. The  
king will be returning soon, and he won't be happy to find you here. I'll call you when I want  
you."  
p "I will be listening. Farewell, my darling."  
p "I told you not to call me that. Goodbye, Fenikus."  
p And with that, the man bowed and vanished in a flash of light. In his place was a gleaming  
bird with rainbow feathers and piercing blue-green eyes who swooped out the window with a  
singularly smug expression.  
Pcenter~*~/center  
p Skull stood at a distance to look down at the city. The fog lay over it like eons of  
accumulated cobwebs, enveloping it all in an eerie gray veil. Lights peeped wanly through the  
thick haze, and the moisture caught the light and refracted it until it looked as if the fog itself was  
glowing. The only shapes that could be seen were dark and forbidding. The only thing within the  
city that seemed to be free of the clinging mist was a castle on a hill, a sharp spear tip thrust  
through the smoky barrier. From a distance, it looked so attenuated that it looked as if it would  
collapse if someone only sneezed at it. The whole city was surrounded by a high wall. Its top  
glittered faintly in the moonlight, revealing sharp bits of metal and glass to slash the hands of  
anyone foolhardy enough to attempt scaling it. There were gates in the wall, but the faint  
movements and glints of metal that he could see through them warned Skull of armed guards.  
P "I don't think they're going to let us in voluntarily," he said.  
p Cedar half-smiled. "Advantage of being bird. No one has to let you into anywhere."  
p "Yeah, well, I'm not a bird. You're going to have to give me a lift," Skull replied.  
p "Aren't you going to turn into the Dark Falcon?" Cedar inquired.  
p "With maybe a bunch of monsters waiting down there to pounce on me? No way! I'm not  
that stupid," Skull replied. "I don't want anyone around here knowing I'm a one of the good guys  
until I know they aren't out to get me."  
p "Don't like the idea of you going in there unprotected," said Cedar, frowning uncertainly.  
p "I can transform any time," Skull assured her, touching the Firebird amulet. It was warm,  
even in that frigid place. "You've gotta admit, we are kind of noticeable when we transform."  
P "True," Cedar admitted. She considered, looking over Skull's multicolored clothing. "Are  
noticeable anyway. Should look for a disguise, I think."  
p "That's a pretty good idea," said Skull, giving his tie-dyed T-shirt a critical inspection.  
"But I don't think there are any of those around here. We'll just have to be careful, and hope our  
luck holds out."  
p Cedar nodded. She tossed her head, letting her long hair swirl around her face as her  
outlines blurred and shifted. Soon there was only a large rose-gold bird perched where there had  
been a human girl moments before. She fluttered her wings and rose into the air, circling her  
friend a few times before she swooped down on him, caught his shoulders, and lifted him up into  
the air. For a moment, she struggled under the shift in weight and balance, but then her wings  
caught and updraft from the cliff face, and she soared towards the cold stars.  
p They landed just inside the city limits, only traveling far enough inward so that the guards  
wouldn't see or hear them. The air was still and sticky inside the city, difficult for Cedar to fly  
through when she was carrying such a weight. Skull wasn't heavy, as far as humans went, but  
Cedar was small and light, and there was only so much lift she could generate without a breeze to  
ride on. As it was, she was more than happy to land in a deserted alley and catch her breath while  
her companion looked around.  
p Skull blinked and squinted through the fog. It was dark, and the street lamps dispensed  
little more than smoke and a few feeble flames, but he still thought he could get a good idea of  
what things looked like in his new location. Memory helped him; the architectural style was not  
far removed from that of the city on Tien, though it was built of native dark rock instead of the  
pale sandstone he was used to. More than anything, it reminded him of his brief visit to the  
Theives' Garden, where the walls were crumbling and the streets were filled with shadows and  
filth.  
p "This is what Tien would look like if we had let Zedd get hold of it," said Skull.  
P "Can't happen now, can it?" asked Cedar in her accented bird-speech. "You stopped it  
frrrom happening. It vould have happened if you hadn't come."  
p "Aw, I don't know about that," said Skull. "Something would have worked out. I just  
helped a little, that's all."  
p "No," said Cedar firmly. "I rrremember. The first time I came to your world, I vas told  
that Tien had been destroyed in the var vith Zedd - nothing left. If you had not come, Father  
vould have died in the assassination and Zedd would have had the Crystal of All Times. You  
changed everything."  
p Skull shrugged, uncomfortable with the idea. "I just hope I can do the same thing for this  
place. It sure needs cleaning up."  
p Cedar nodded. "Vhere to first? You lead."  
P "Umm... Let's try that way."   
p He pointed to one of the broader and cleaner streets, where there were vague signs of life.  
Shadowy people were shuffling along the edges of the avenue, darting furtively in and out of  
alleys or shops. He glanced at his multi-hued clothing again and winced.  
p "Maybe you'd better fly, Cedar," he said. "People are going to notice me enough even  
without a giant bird on my shoulder."  
p Cedar nodded. "Stay out of trrrouble," she said, and took to the air.  
p Skull watched her go, feeling a bit forsaken. It was dark and cold and lonely, and he  
would have felt a lot better if she could have stayed close by to advise him, but he didn't want  
anything to happen to her. The more time he spent with her, the more he came to realize just how  
important she was to him. There was a lot to be said for having a friend like her - loyal,  
intelligent, beautiful, caring...  
p His warm thoughts were drowned out by a bout of shivering, and he began walking faster,  
trying to thaw himself out. It was icold/i! The leather jacket that had almost been too warm  
on Terra Venture and completely superfluous on Tien was proving invaluable now. He pulled it  
tight around himself, turning up the collar to hide his neck and ears, and then shoved his frozen  
hands in his pockets. One of them brushed against something soft, a feather that Cedar had once  
lost and he had kept as a souvenir. He had often pondered the meaning of that feather. Cedar had  
told him once that if you kept part of something, it connected you to it and it to you for as long as  
you had that one piece. Just as his Firebird amulet bound him to Tien and to the Firebird himself,  
he had a superstitious sort of faith that keeping the feather would also keep him from ever being  
separated from his friend.  
p While he was walking and thinking, someone else was standing and watching. He hovered  
at the mouth of an alleyway, doing nothing more than turning his head slowly to observe the  
passers-by. His clothing seemed to be little more than a cloak sewn of old rags in drab colors,  
grays, browns, and blacks, giving him a cloak of invisibility nearly as good as if it had been magic.  
His hair was the same sort of color, a deep brown-black, and it hung in his face, giving him a  
certain anonymity. He spoke to no one, barely even moving, but there were a few lonely travelers  
who nodded to him in a guarded way. He was so still and so silent that Skull walked past without  
seeing him - at least, not until the man called.  
p "Hey! Hold up there!"  
p Skull levitated a few inches and looked around frantically to see who had shouted.  
p "Over here," said the stranger impatiently. "Get over here. I want to talk to you."  
p "I don't know if that's such a good idea," said Skull, backing away slowly. "I'm here on a  
mission, and I don't have a lot of time, so-"  
p "A mission?" the man repeated. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You aren't with the  
Hand, are you?"  
p "I... I don't think so," said Skull.  
p "You have to know," the stranger replied. "Around here, you're either with the Hand or  
the Band. There's no middle of the road. If you're not with us, you're against us."  
p "Well, I'm kinda new around here," Skull prevaricated. "I don't really know anything  
about it. What are the Hand and the Band?"  
p "iThat/I explains the Hand," the man replied.   
p He jerked his thumb in the direction of a monolith that stood in the center of a crossroads,  
raised high on a pedestal for all to see. There were letters etched roughly on its surface. Skull was  
surprised to see that, though the words themselves were more or less in English, the letters  
weren't far from the Tienese alphabet. With some effort, he was able to make out the message:  
None are beyond the sight of the Master, who rules his city with an Iron Hand. The last two  
words were written particularly large, as if they were endowed with some special meaning. Below  
the writing was an indistinct scratching that looked to Skull like a bolt of lightning.  
p "What's that supposed to mean?" Skull asked.  
p "The Iron Hand is the name given to the king's men, his warriors who hold the city under  
his sway," the man explained. "Those who oppose the king are called the Copper Band. So...  
whose side are you on?"  
P "Whose side are iyou/i on?" asked. "You aren't going to take me apart if I give the  
wrong answer, are you?"  
p The man held up his right hand. "I swear I will do you no harm, unless you choose to  
provoke me. I swear it on all I hold most high."  
p "Oh. Well, in that case, Garudan told me to seek the Band, so I guess I'm with them,"  
Skull replied.  
p "Good choice," said the man, smiling. "I am Pyrin, leader of the Copper Band. Pleased to  
make your acquaintance... Did you just mention Garudan?"  
p "Yeah," said Skull. "He's the one who dragged me here. I think he must have wanted me  
to help you... or maybe it was the other way around."  
p "Whatever it was, I'm honored to have met a friend of the Thunderbird's," said Pyrin, and  
he sounded like he meant it. "You have to come meet the rest of the Band at our hideout.  
Quickly, now, before we're seen."  
p "Wait a minute. I have to call my friend," Skull replied. He whistled a pair of sharp notes  
through his fingers, one of the few talents he'd possessed that his friend Bulk hadn't. Hearing the  
notes, a wheeling bird stopped her circling and dropped out of the sky to perch on Skull's  
shoulder.  
p "You shouldn't have done that," said Pyrin nervously.  
p "Why not? Cedar's trustworthy," Skull replied. "She's a friend of Garudan's, too."  
p "It's not that," answered Pyrin. "Someone could have heard you!"  
P "But there's no one around!" Skull protested.  
p "There will be soon! Didn't you read the sign? The eyes of the king are everywhere!  
Run!"  
P Before Skull could react, Pyrin grabbed his wrist and began tugging him through the  
alleyway. Cedar gave a startled squawk and took to the air again, flying alongside of them, and  
Skull struggled to keep up. He'd always been fairly fleet of foot, and he'd thought his training as  
the Dark Falcon had kept him in good shape, but he was slow and clumsy compared to Pyrin. The  
man moved like the wind and made nearly as little sound. The only noises were the dull pounding  
of Skull's footsteps, his hurried panting, and the soft rush of Cedar's wingbeats.  
p Then there was another noise, the unwelcome sound of someone shouting.  
p "Hold it right there! Halt, in the name of the king!"  
P Pyrin, in the lead, skidded to a halt ten feet away from the alley's exit... and from a row of  
armed men. Being further behind, Skull had more time to assess the situation, and he decided  
invisibility would be the safest thing for him. He slipped into one of the plentiful shadows, and  
Cedar followed his example. The guards hardly noticed; they had eyes only for the leader of the  
Band.  
p "Well, Pyrin, we meet again," said the guard in the lead. Like all of his men, he was plated  
in a partial suit of armor over his dark clothing, but he had a red shoulder cape that marked him as  
a man of authority.  
p "Thorald," Pyrin spat. "What do you think you are doing, interfering in the lives of  
innocent citizens? Shouldn't you be out looking for criminals instead of pestering me?"  
p "You are a criminal," answered the one called Thorald. "You're guilty of plotting against  
the king, high treason."  
p "I haven't plotted against the king. I've done all in my power to support him," Pyrin  
replied. "Unfortunately, there is the matter of the usurper you choose to serve..."  
p "The old king is dead," Thorald snapped. "Anyone who believes otherwise is a fool, and  
deserves to be punished just for that."  
p "The king sleeps, and when he awakes-"  
p "When he awakes, the Elemental Birds will return to bless us all, the rivers will flow with  
wine, and little pigs will fly around the moon." Thorald's voice dripped sarcasm. "I've had enough  
of your impertinence. You won't slip through my fingers this time, old rival! Prepare to be  
eliminated!"  
P Thorald drew his sword and shouted a war cry, leading his followers to crowd around the  
defenseless Pyrin. Suddenly, their rush was halted by a double burst of blinding lights. When their  
vision cleared, they found the alley lit by the light of a fiery bird, illuminating a masked man in  
dark armor.  
p "You leave my friend alone," said Skull quietly.  
p "Interloper! How dare you interfere?" Thorald demanded. Skull felt mildly uneasy; thus  
far, the war leader's face showed more anger than fear.  
P "I am the Dark Falcon," he said, "and I've been sent here by Garudan the Thunderbird to  
bring back the real king, so I'd be worried, if I were you."  
p There was a murmur among the soldiers at the mention of Garudan; clearly the name was  
one that commanded some respect, or at least consideration. Thorald, however, looked startled  
for only a few seconds before he collected himself.  
p "What's the matter with you clowns?" he snapped. "Don't you know a bluff when you  
hear one? This is nothing but a man in armor, just as you are. He is nothing to be afraid of."  
p "But the bird..." someone protested weakly, eying Gold Eagle with unease.  
p "That is not the Thunderbird," said Thorald. "If you're going to be frightened by a simple  
bird, you have no place among the Iron Hand."  
p "You don't know who you're dealing with!" Cedar shrieked. With an avian scream, she  
dove at the Hand leader with claws flashing. He ducked too late, and glared up at her with a line  
of red marking his face. Her talons had just barely missed his eye.  
p "Get that mangy pigeon!" he shouted.  
p "Don't talk like that about her!" Skull shouted back, and the battle was on.  
P It wasn't long before Skull began to regret getting involved. Fighting a lone monster was  
one thing. So was fighting a bunch of empty-headed Putty Patrollers. Fighting with a dozen armed  
and armored skilled fighting men was another matter entirely, and he did not like it one bit. Even  
his enhanced abilities weren't enough to keep him from taking a few hits, and soon he was  
smarting all over from stray sword slashes. Complicating matters was the fact that these were  
humans, or at least something very close to human, and he felt squeamish about the idea of even  
hurting one of them, much less destroying one as he could a monster. He concentrated on keeping  
them away from Pyrin, shielding the man with one outstretched wing. Cedar, in turn, protected  
her partner as she always did, but her claws were little use against steel armor. Little by little, the  
heroes were being worn down, and Skull couldn't think of anything to do about it.  
p Fortunately, he didn't have to. With an icy blast of wind, every lamp on the street blew  
out, plunging the alley into an intense blackness that even Gold Eagle's flaming plumage barely  
dented. The fog that had hung disinterestedly over the scene was awakened, moving in eager  
waves to coalesce into a shimmering cloud that interposed itself between the Hand and their  
intended prey, and the soldiers drew back in awe. The storm cloud flickered with lightning,  
lightning that formed itself into the shape of a glowing bird. He riveted his pale lavender eyes on  
the armed men.  
p "iAvaunt!/i" he commanded. "iAway with you, infidels! This is my chosen, and  
traitors such as yourselves will not be permitted to harm him!/i"  
p The soldiers were duly impressed. There was a clatter of dropped swords and clanging  
footsteps as they fled into the safety of the night. Thorin watched his men go with disgust on his  
face, but even he was unnerved by the sight of the Elemental Bird. He glared at Garudan, locking  
his angry eyes with the bird's ageless gaze. Whatever he saw there convinced him that fighting  
would be unwise, and he turned to join his men. To say he ran away would be overstatement, but  
he made good time for a man who wasn't frightened. Garudan nodded slightly and turned to  
Skull.  
p "iDo not count on me being able to save you like this again,/i" he said. "iBeware.  
Fear has its uses, but it is seldom permanent. The Hand will be back, and they will be angry./i"  
p "Thanks, Garudan," Skull replied. "I'll be more careful next time."  
P The Thunderbird nodded again, and then faded slowly back into mist. Skull and Cedar  
allowed themselves to blink back to their natural forms.  
p Pyrin was staring at Skull with unveiled astonishment. "What manner of man are you?"  
p "Just an ordinary guy with really weird luck," Skull replied, shrugging and averting his  
gaze. He didn't like being stared at like he was some kind of marvel... or an Elemental Bird.  
p "Whatever you are, you're someone I wouldn't want for an enemy," Pyrin decided. "With  
friends like you, I am sure the king will be restored."  
p "I'm not as great as all that," Skull insisted. "I would have been toast if Garudan hadn't  
showed up to help me. Getting your king back isn't going to be easy."  
p "But we will. I'm sure of it," said Pyrin optimistically. "I never expected it to be easy. By  
the way, I don't think you ever gave me your name."  
p "Oh. It's Skull... Well, actually, Eugene, but I like to be called Skull."  
p "Don't know why," Cedar chimed in. "Eugene is perfectly good name."  
P Pyrin's eyes went wide all over again. "It talks!"  
p "Of course she can. She's an Aerial," said Skull. "And she's not an it. Her name is Cedar."  
p "An Aerial! That explains it," Pyrin replied. "We must discuss just how it is you came to  
be here - later, when we're in a safer place. It is dangerous to be here - the king's eyes see all  
corners of the city."  
p "How can he do that?" asked Skull. "You mean, with spies or something? Like the Iron  
Hand? But we chased them away!"  
p "Not spies. He has no need of them," Pyrin replied. "He is a powerful sorcerer - some say  
he was once the greatest in the universe before an accident curtailed his power. However, he still  
finds it easy enough to direct his gaze wherever he wishes and see what his people are doing. We  
have to hide carefully indeed to keep him from finding us."  
p "Sorcerer?" Skull repeated. There was a tiny little suspicion tickling the back of his mind,  
trying to put itself into words. "Does he have a name?"  
p "We don't like to use it," said Pyrin, looking a bit sheepish. "It's superstition, I suppose,  
thinking that we can bring down his wrath just by mentioning his name, but we always just refer  
to him as 'the king' or 'the master.' Maybe we just don't want to have to think about him too  
hard."  
p "Well, if I'm going to fight him, I'm going to have to think about him," Skull pointed out.  
"What's his name."  
p "It's Zedd. Lord Zedd."  
p "Zedd?" Skull repeated. "But I - I - I thought he was dead!"  
p Pyrin hung his head sadly. "If only. There was a rumor out for a long time that he had  
been destroyed by some hero or another. I even remember hearing that Zordon himself gave a  
medal to the man. But it turned out that he was only injured, and he came back here to see to  
regaining his powers. His strength has been reduced, but his mind was warped by pain and drugs.  
He is more cruel and evil than ever."  
p "No. It can't be. I won't believe it," said Skull flatly.  
p "You can't deny it," said Pyrin gently. "Denial gets us nowhere. Now is the time to fight."  
P "NO!" Skull shouted. "I won't believe it! I won't believe it!"  
p Wild eyed, he turned and ran down the street, dashing blindly into the night. He didn't  
care where he was going, just so long as it took him far away from everything. He ran until his  
throat was raw from gasping the cold air and his muscles burned from the abuse. At last, his  
strength ran out, and he collapsed in some dark, frozen corner to cry his heart out. He cried not  
only for his broken dreams of being a hero, but for misleading Zordon and all those people who  
had trusted and counted on him, and for bringing this squalor and terror down on Oryllia. He  
cried for the world of Tien. He hadn't been able to change anything after all - Zedd would destroy  
it just as Cedar had said he would have done if her hero hadn't intervened. Skull cried especially  
for Cedar, who he had failed so abysmally. She had looked up to him and trusted him, and he had  
betrayed her faith. She would probably never want to look at him again. What was he ever going  
to do without her eternal loyalty and optimism? Finally, he was emptied of tears, and he slid into  
an exhausted sleep.  
p It was some time later that Cedar found him. She almost passed him by, but there was  
something that seemed to be calling her, drawing her to him. He was curled up in the darkest  
corner of a dead-end alley, shivering in his sleep.  
p "Poor Eugene," she whispered sadly.  
p Shifting into half-bird form, she stretched out one wing to wrap him in warm, sweet-  
smelling feathers, and she felt his shivering subside. Curling up close to him, she, too, fell asleep.  
  
To Be Continued 


	9. Dark Falcon... Replaced?

Disclaimer: Skull is the property of Saban. Zedd is the property of Saban. This crazy universe is  
mine, but I might let Saban use it if they payed me enough. ;-)  
  
Dark Falcon... Replaced?  
SilvorMoon  
  
Skull was waking up from a nightmare. He had dreamed he was lost on a cold, dark world  
full of angry warriors who would tear him apart as soon as look at him, that his friends had  
turned away from him or against him, and that the evil warlord he was sure he'd destroyed was  
still alive and waiting to take his vengeance. He had failed in his mission to protect Tien, and  
now he was going to die alone on this hostile world, left only with incontrovertible proof that he  
was just what everyone had always insisted he was: a failure.  
  
Then he came completely awake and remembered his nightmare was true. He was on the  
world of Oryllia - more specifically, lying in the dirt of a back alley, hiding. Zedd was alive on  
this world, and fully in control. Skull felt the despair of the previous night gripping at him again -  
how could Cedar ever forgive him for failing? How could anybody? He could never go back to  
Tien now, knowing that he hadn't been able to live up to his duty as the Dark Falcon, and that  
was enough to make him want to go back to crying all over again. If there was one thing his  
adventures over the last few days had taught him, it was that Tien was home to him in a way  
Earth had never been. His true family was there - wise Hemlock, kindhearted Poplar, and sweet,  
beautiful Cedar... Losing her would hurt the most.  
  
People had always said that Skull's brain wasn't the swiftest piece of machinery in the  
world, and that was particularly so first thing in the morning. That was how he managed to get so  
far along the path of self-pity before it should occur to him to wonder why he was wrapped in  
feathers - warm, soft feathers that smelled of cedar wood. He looked around and realized that at  
least one part of his nightmare wasn't true, after all.  
  
"Cedar!" he exclaimed.  
  
The lady-bird's amber eyes opened and blinked sleepily. "Good morning, Eugene."  
  
"Cedar, what are you doing here?" he asked.  
  
"Came looking for you," she replied. "Very silly to go to sleep out here, Eugene.  
Someone might have found you. This is not best place in universe to be doing silly things." She  
sat up and stretched her wings. "Now that we are avake, ve should go. Told Pyrrin ve vould meet  
him again today."  
  
"But, but... you aren't mad at me?" asked Skull.  
  
Cedar tilted her head in puzzlement. "Should I be?"  
  
"Well, yeah! I mean, I was supposed to be helping your world. I was supposed to be the  
one who destroyed Lord Zedd, and I didn't. Now he's still going to be alive to hurt your people,  
and it was my job to keep that from happening. I'm sorry, Cedar. I was supposed to change  
everything, just like you said, but I didn't. If you don't want to hang around me anymore, I'll  
understand."  
  
"Oh, Eugene," Cedar sighed, "you vorry yourself too much. I liked you before you were  
hero, didn't I?"  
  
"Well, yeah, I guess..."  
  
"Then vy should vether or not you make good hero change how much I like you?" asked  
Cedar. "You forget, I am hero, too. The Gold Eagle. Do you not like me for not being brave  
enough to help you fight Zedd?"  
  
"Of course not!" Skull blurted. "I always like you, Cedar. You were smart not to go with  
me. I only went because Firebird tricked me."  
  
"Then don't say you failed. You vent, you did the best you could, you made it home alive.  
You did some good, even if it wasn't all the good you vanted to do, so don't vorry! You vorry  
too much, Eugene." Seeing her friend looking crestfallen, she added, "But I know you only vorry  
because you care. That is vat I like about you, Eugene. You have caring heart."  
  
"Thanks," said Skull. He managed to smile a bit. "So do you."  
  
Cedar smiled back at him. "Is nice of you to say so. Come! Ve have a frrriend vaiting for  
us."  
  
"Yeah, that's right. Pyrrin," Skull sighed, scrambling to his feet. "If he doesn't think I'm  
crazy for running away like that."  
  
"I knew vy you did it," said Cedar. "Just don't run avay anymorrre. The Dark Falcon and  
Gold Eagle are meant to be partners. Ve arrre not supposed to be apart."  
  
"I hope so," said Skull. "I don't like it when we're apart."  
  
"Neither do I," she replied. She shook herself, shifting from half-bird to fully human, and  
then made a face. "Much too cold here without feathers."  
  
"Here," said Skull, slipping out of his leather jacket. "You kept me warm all night. Now  
it's my turn to help."  
  
The cold Oryllian morning air froze his bare arms, but Skull hardly noticed. His friend's  
smile of gratitude made it warm as summer. As they followed the dirty streets back to the home  
of their friend Pyrrin, an elderly Oryllian woman peeked out of her window and smiled, thinking  
to herself that it was a sign of hope when young lovers could still thrive in the chill of her dark  
world.  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
Charla's motto was, "Play all the angles," and her magically lengthened life had given her  
ample time to perfect this strategy. She had learned early in life that there were only two options  
in life - to take advantage someone or have someone else take advantage of you, and it hadn't  
taken long for her to decide that the very best way to get by was to make use of as many people  
as possible. Men had done it often enough to her when she was growing up, a rare and beautiful  
flower on a harsh world. They had seen her only as a weak and obedient but remarkably lovely  
young girl, and they had used their strength and power to take whatever they liked from her.  
However, they had never known or cared that she was also highly intelligent. It hadn't taken her  
long that there were some things that some men would do anything for, and once that came clear  
in her mind, she'd used the knowledge to get her own way. Even now, when much of her  
youthful beauty had worn off, the strategy still worked. She was still attractive, and with a  
confidence that silently but effectively communicated that any man who came to her embrace  
would not go away disappointed.  
  
*Men fool themselves,* she thought, smirking at her reflection in the mirror as  
she groomed herself for a new day. *They are so intent on getting what they want from me  
that they never stop to think that I could be taking advantage of them at the same time. If they  
do realize it, they're still too stupid to care.*  
  
At the moment, she had a grand total of three men on her string, each serving his own  
purpose. The most obvious of these was the king himself, Lord Zedd. Officially, she was  
supposed to be his mistress (she wasn't foolish enough to get married to anyone again, not even a  
king), but that was only a public face. The truth was, the accident had made certain pastimes  
difficult at best, due to the amount of power it cost him to remain fully human for any amount of  
time. Their relationship was, as she had told the Firebird, an arrangement. She shared her magical  
power with him in exchange for a say in the rulership of the planet and any luxuries he could  
supply. Very few people ever found out that her quarters were furnished more comfortably than  
the king's own.  
  
The second person on her list was the unexpected arrival of the previous night, the  
Firebird. She was still not sure she liked the idea of keeping him around, but at least she had  
nothing to complain about yet. For now, he seemed willing enough to follow her orders without  
complaint, and he was a satisfactory lover as long as he kept his talk to a minimum. Perhaps she  
could think of a use for him. If not, well, she'd gotten rid of him once, and he was probably  
stupid enough to fall for her tricks again.  
  
Her third companion, however, was her source of real pleasure, not to mention his own  
brand of political power. She dreamed of someday seeing him usurp Oryllia's foolish king, but  
for now they pretended aloofness... unless, of course, no one was looking.  
  
She met him on her way to the king's courtroom, spotting him lurking behind a pillar in  
the main hallway. Casting a glance this way and that to make sure they were alone, she drifted  
over to his hiding spot.  
  
"Well, good morning, Thorald," she purred. "How pleasant to see you."  
  
"The pleasure is mine, my lady," the captain of the guard replied, taking her hand to kiss  
it. "I'm sorry it's going to have to be cut short today. I have some unhappy news to deliver to His  
Majesty, and I don't think it's going to leave me with any spare time for a while."  
  
"News?" asked Charla. "Do tell."  
  
"Well, you aren't going to believe this," said Thorald, "but we saw an Elemental Bird last  
night."  
  
"I believe you," said Charla. "I saw him myself."  
  
"Oh, good," Thorald sighed in relief. "If you tell Zedd, he'll believe it. If I tell him, I'm  
just as likely to be whipped for lying. It's got all my men in a stir. Half of them refuse to go out  
on the streets again. They think it's going to eat them, for crying out loud!"  
  
"Elemental Birds don't eat humans," said Charla disdainfully. "Electrocute them,  
perhaps, or burn them to ash, but they're not supposed to eat anything physical, and when they  
do, they have better taste than that."  
  
"That's a real comfort," said Thorald sarcastically. "Sorry, darling, I don't mean to snap  
at you. I just haven't had a wink of sleep all night for tying to convince the boys that it's safe to  
go out on patrols."  
  
"I understand completely," said Charla. "Don't worry about it. I think I can have the  
situation well taken care of."  
  
"That's a load off my mind. I know you'll follow through," Thorald replied. "Now, if  
you'll excuse me, I'm off to tell His Majesty the bad news. Will you be around tonight?"  
  
"I'll get back to you on that," Charla replied. "If you want your Firebird dealt with, you're  
going to have to give me some time to work."  
  
"Firebird?" Thorald repeated. "The bird I saw claimed to be Garudan, the Thunderbird."  
  
"Did he? Hmm, that complicates things," said Charla. "Well, there are still things I can  
do. Just leave it all to me, my dear, and everything will work out fine."  
  
"I know it will," Thorald replied. They leaned in close for a kiss, then sprang apart  
moments later at the sound of approaching feet.  
  
"See me after you talk to Zedd," Charla whispered. "I may have an idea by then." Then  
she made a fluid gesture that made her fade away in a swirl of orange smoke. Thorald bowed to  
the place she had been, then continued on his way to the king's throne room.  
  
**********************************************************  
  
Skull and Cedar found Pyrrin waiting for them in the same place they had found him  
yesterday, lurking in the shadows of an alleyway. There was very little sunlight reaching the city  
today; even now that the sun had come fully up and was beginning to cast off some of the chill,  
there was still a haze over everything. The air was hard to breathe, and everything looked grey  
and smoggy. Even in such daylight as there was, the leader of the Copper Band would have been  
invisible if the pair hadn't known what to look for. Pyrrin stood stock-still, moving only  
occasionally, rattling a copper cup full of coins and begging in a weary voice for alms. He looked  
up in surprise as his friends approached.  
  
"You made it back," he said. "I wasn't sure what was going to happen after you ran off  
last night."  
  
"I was just a little surprised, that's all," Skull mumbled. "Zedd... doesn't exactly like me  
very much."  
  
Pyrrin smiled a little. "All the better. Any enemy of Zedd's is a friend of mine. Here, put  
these on." He reached in his pocket and pulled out two flattened strips of copper bent into  
bracelets, each stamped with a crude image of a spread-winged bird.  
  
"Copper bands," Cedar remarked.   
  
"That's right," Pyrrin replied. "These mark you as one of us. Wherever you go in the city,  
if you see someone wearing a band like this, show them your own and tell them I gave these to  
you. They'll help you to the ends of their strength. Just don't forget that these bind you to do the  
same for any of them."  
  
"We won't," Skull promised, slipping his own bracelet on. "Was that what you wanted to  
talk to us about?"  
  
"No, I've got a few more surprises up my sleeve," said Pyrrin. "But the open street is not  
the place to talk about it. Come! I'm to go to court today."  
  
"Court?" asked Skull, puzzled.  
  
"Just follow and learn," Pyrrin replied. "And try not to be noticed."  
  
So saying, Pyrrin led his followers through a mazelike series of streets, alleys, and finally  
a net of dirt paths that terminated in a tangled field of rocks and broken wood. It looked as if the  
place had once held a large building of some sort, but now it was just a heap of rubble. There was  
a faint scent of mold here, but at least the haze was thinner here and the air warmer. Skull stared  
at the site trying to figure out what it had once been. Scraps of what looked like broken statuary  
said it had a grand structure, whatever it was. Big, too - the rubble seemed to go on for miles.  
Here and there, colored lights flashed from shards of old stained glass windows. Perhaps this had  
been a church of some sort, or...  
  
"The castle of the True King," Pyrrin announced, finishing Skull's thought. "Our real  
ruler contented himself to live among his people, not alone on a windy mountaintop. Zedd  
wrecked this place when he usurped the throne. What he didn't know was that my ancestor  
worked here in the castle, as keeper of the crypts and the cellars, and he knew the underground  
like the back of his hand. He established the Copper Band and set up camp below the old castle.  
That's where we live now, in a place we call the King's Court."  
  
"Because this is where the king used to live?" asked Cedar as she and Skull followed  
Pyrrin over the heaps of stone.  
  
"Much more than that," Pyrrin replied. "Over the years, the maps of the underground  
were lost or wore to dust, and all those who knew the secret paths died out. However, we know  
that the tunnels go on and on for miles, branching out under the whole city. Legend has it that  
somewhere in the underground is where the body of the king is sleeping." He paused, staring off  
into nowhere. "Something tells me the time is coming near when we'll find him again."  
  
"Sounds creepy to me," Skull muttered, shivering a little.  
  
"Maybe to you," said Pyrrin, setting off again, "but not to us. When the Storm Raven  
awakens, we'll have a proper protector again, one who can get rid of Zedd once and for all."  
  
Cedar laid a comforting hand on Skull's arm as she saw something dangerous flash in his  
eyes.  
  
"Here we are!" Pyrrin announced. "Home sweet home!"  
  
He was standing before a battered old metal door, black and tarnished now, inlaid with  
coils and loops of green that had once been polished copper. Pyrrin took an old-fashioned key  
with a long barrel and elaborately decorated top, swung one of the green plates out of the way to  
reveal a hidden keyhole. Surprisingly, the key slid into the hole with ease, and the massive door  
swung open without a sound. Skull and Cedar stared uncertainly down the deep black hole that  
opened up before them.  
  
"Sorry it's so dark," said Pyrrin, "but lighted torches are a fair guarantee that someone is  
home, and we don't need anyone knowing we're here. Don't worry; it gets better the further you  
go."  
  
They went in, and the door was pulled shut behind them, leaving them in total blackness.  
There was a rasping sound, and then a torch came alive in Pyrrin's hand. The inside of the cavern  
was built like the entrance to a mine, with lumpy masses of rock jutting from the wall and a  
ceiling supported by beams of heavy timber. Skull eyed the supports with distrust; they looked as  
if they were only standing up out of habit.  
  
"This kinda reminds me of a movie I saw once," he said. "The Disney one about the  
hunchback."  
  
"What's a movie?" asked Pyrrin.  
  
"What's Disney?" asked Cedar.  
  
"Aw, forget it," Skull replied. "I don't think I could explain it, anyway."  
  
"If you say so," said Pyrrin. "Anyway, now that we're down here, I can talk a little more  
freely. The King's Court, as I've said, is the secret headquarters of the Copper Band. This is  
where we mete out justice, both to our own and to any members of the Hand we happen to  
capture. We also use it as a safe hiding place - not just for when we don't want to be found, but  
for our supplies and for those few refugees from Zedd that we deem safe to let in on our secret.  
It's one of these people I'm taking you to see. His name is Prospero. He's our wise man. Very,  
very old, older than Zedd himself. He remembers back to the days when the True King reigned...  
You two are Aerials, aren't you?" he asked, surprising them by the change of subject.  
  
"I am," said Cedar proudly. "My friend was not born on Tien, but... he's close enough."  
  
"I thought it was something like that," Pyrrin replied. He was leading them down a fork in  
the corridor, past dark voids that apparently led to other parts of the complex. "There used to be  
Aerials on Oryllia, too. Zedd hates even the thought of Aerials, though, or at least that's what  
I've heard, so once he settled himself here, he exterminated every one he could find. We  
managed to rescue a few, those who could stand never using their wings properly again. Now  
there's just Prospero."  
  
"So he's an Aerial?" asked Skull. It might have been a silly question, but he was  
interested. It surprised him how much he'd missed seeing people with beaks and feathers.  
  
Pyrrin nodded. "When I found out that there were Aerials on Oryllia again, I sent a  
messenger back here to ask him to stay up and meet you. It's past his bedtime, now, but I don't  
think he'll care. He's a night owl, but he'd rather talk than anything else, I think. You'll like  
him."  
  
"I'm sure I will," Skull agreed.  
  
They walked deeper and deeper into the complex, following a twisting path that looped in  
all directions like the tunnel of a worm. Cedar was fidgety, distrusting the impenetrable darkness  
and claustrophobic spaces, and she kept close to Skull. He was just wondering whether it would  
be all right to put his arm around her (something that had gotten him slapped a few times before  
by other girls) when he was saved from making a decision by Pyrrin calling a halt next to a  
splintery wooden door. Pyrrin rapped on it loudly.  
  
"Prospero!" he called. "I've got some visitors for you."  
  
There was a rustling and bumping on the other side of the door. Then it popped open like  
the lid of a jack-in-the-box, making Pyrrin jump backwards and nearly drop the torch. A  
feathered white head poked out of the opening, surveying his guests with round golden eyes.   
  
"Whoo! 'Tis too late for guests," he hooted. "Go away."  
  
"But Prospero," said Pyrrin calmly, "you said you wanted to talk to them earlier."  
  
"Wasn't bed time earlier," said Prospero. "Whoo! Too late. Go away."  
  
"These are Aerials," Pyrrin replied. "All the way from Tien. When was the last time you  
got to talk to a real Aerial, hmm?"  
  
Prospero looked at the visitors skeptically, and then stepped out into the hallway. He was  
shorter than either Skull or Cedar, but not bent or frail-looking. Rather, his hooked beak, piercing  
eyes, and the horn-like tufts of feathers on the top of his head gave him a countenance that was  
almost fierce. His broad white wings protruded from the frayed sleeves of a battered brown robe.  
He looked, Skull thought, like a feathered version of a monk or a mountaintop guru. He was not  
in the least surprised that the Band had chosen this owl Aerial as their wise man.  
  
"Whoo!" said Prospero again, looking Skull over. "Shrileecht, you are."  
  
"Come again?" asked Skull.  
  
Cedar gave the owl a puzzled look. "How did you know his name?"  
  
"Name?" Skull repeated. "Cedar, what are you talking about. I never even heard that  
word before."  
  
"Shrileecht," Cedar replied. "It is a Tienese word. It means, 'the skull.'"  
  
"Yes, yes!" said Prospero gleefully. "Old bird still knows a Son of the Skull when he sees  
one. Been a long time, you betcha, but Prospero knows." He looked back at Skull, squinting  
thoughtfully, and then flicked the young man's beaky nose with his long, dusty pinfeather. Skull  
resisted the urge to sneeze.  
  
"You," said Prospero, "have a nose like a hawk. Eyes like a hawk, too," he added,  
brushing his wingtip across Skull's forehead. "Just like Aspen did, all many years back. You both  
come in and have breakfast, yes?"  
  
Skull felt his mouth water at the mention of breakfast. When had he last eaten? Not since  
those sandwiches on Terra Venture, and now he was acutely aware that he was almost painfully  
hungry.  
  
"Great idea," he said. "You hungry too, Cedar."  
  
"Bird always hungry," she answered with a smile.  
  
"Whoo! All birds will come in and eat," said Prospero. "Humans will go away. Goodbye,  
Pyrrin. Guests will be fine without you. This is talk for Aerials only."  
  
"As you wish," said Pyrrin, bowing slightly to his elder. "You all have fun. I'll be back in  
a few minutes to check on you all."  
  
Prospero stretched one of his great white wings around his guests and herded them  
through his open door. Inside, they found a dusty old room full of rickety furniture, every surface  
covered in dust, spiderwebs, fragments of shed feathers, and old books. Lots and lots of books,  
papers, scrolls, and writing utensils cluttered not only the desk and table, but the floor and all the  
chairs as well. Prospero picked a few books off of the nearest chairs and the table, setting them  
all on the floor next to an ornamental pot full of colored mushrooms. Then he went to a shelf to  
take down bread and cheese and bottles of water for his guests.  
  
"Sit. Eat," he instructed. "Old Prospero ate dinner already, so you two will eat and he will  
talk. Good?"  
  
"Fine," said Skull, dropping into a padded chair. Dust flew up in a greyish cloud. At least  
the food looked fresh, and he and his partner started on it with relish.  
  
"Been long time since there were Aerials on Oryllia," said Prospero wistufully. "Not been  
any since Aspen died. He was the last to hold out. Aspen was Prospero's friend, you know."  
  
"That is second time you've mentioned Aspen," said Cedar. "Who was he? You talk like  
we should know who he is."  
  
Prospero shook his head. "Whoo! Sorry. Old Prospero talks to himself so much he forgets  
you don't know what he knows. Aspen Truebird is who I talk about. He was an Aerial, great  
warrior bird. Your friend looks like him."  
  
"That's a good thing, I hope," said Skull.  
  
"Is good. Aspen was fine man, brave man. Killed a dragon-serpent, once... but Prospero  
gets ahead of himself. Names?"  
  
"Skull," Skull supplied. "Actually, Eugene Skullovitch, and this is Cedar Wind."  
  
"Whoo, whoo!" hooted Prospero gleefully. "Knew it! Knew it the minute he set eyes on  
you, did old Prospero! He still knows a Son of the Skull when he sees one! Very glad you came,  
young Skull. You've come from far away."  
  
"Yes," said Cedar. "He is not a true Aerial. He is a human, from Earth."  
  
"That's what he thinks," said Prospero, his beak opening in an avian grin. "Maybe mostly  
human, but not all. He doesn't know what he is, but Prospero does."  
  
"You don't know what you are, either," the Firebird had once told Skull. The  
words echoed in his brain now, triggering that old memory once more. Skull looked at Prospero  
with new interest.  
  
"What do you mean, not human?" he asked. "I've lived all my life on Earth, up until the  
past couple of months. My parents are both human. A little weird, sure, but still human."  
  
"Mostly human," Prospero repeated. "Tell me the family name again. Skullovitch, yes?"  
  
Skull nodded. "I think it's Russian, or something like that."  
  
"Could be. Doesn't matter," Prospero replied. "What meaning?"  
  
"Umm... Good question, actually," said Skull. "Guess I never asked."  
  
"Means 'son of Skull'!" said Prospero triumphantly. "Funny name, don't you think?"  
  
"Hey, don't pick on my name!" said Skull. "I can't help it if I got stuck with a stupid  
name."  
  
"Not funny laugh. Funny strange," said Prospero. "Name doesn't fit together. Skull is  
common language. Last part of name is... what you called it again?"  
  
"Russian," Skull answered.  
  
"Right. Two names from two places. One from Russian, one from here. Aerial name."  
  
"How can that be?" asked Cedar. "You can't say just from his name that he's an Aerial.  
There are too many other possible explanations."  
  
"No other explanation," said Prospero. "Will tell a legend. I tell you about Aspen  
Truebird, the serpent-slayer. The Oryllian Aerials were afraid for their children in the old days,  
because the plains were home to a dragon-serpent who lived under the rocks. It would sometimes  
slip into the cities and steal eggs. Steal hatchlings, too. Eat 'em up fast, and nothing could anyone  
do about it. Dragon-serpent much to big and fast to stop. Too much for ordinary warrior, anyway.  
Not for Aspen! His own firstborn chick was eaten by the dragon-serpent, and he became very  
angry. He took up a sword and followed the serpent, and fought a mighty battle in the desert. He  
was bitten and clawed by the serpent, but in the end he was victorious, and cut off its head as  
trophy. Carried it into town, he did, so all the children could all see it was dead. That was how  
we all knew Aspen was home, by the children shouting, 'The skull is coming! The skull is  
coming!' That was why they started calling Aspen the Skull, because he slew the dragon-serpent.  
His children became the Sons of the Skull, all mighty warriors. Travelers, too. When Zedd came  
into power, Aspen's children left the planet to make homes on other worlds. You could very well  
be the descendent of one of those children, Eugene Son-of-Skull."  
  
"But how can you be sure?" asked Skull.  
  
"Young Pyrrin says that you carry powers of the Dark Falcon, yes?" Prospero inquired.  
  
Skull nodded. "Is that important?"  
  
"'Tis," Prospero replied. "Not everyone can carry those powers. They were made only to  
interact with certain people. Bird-type people. Aerials, Firebird-children. Such like that. Others  
might could use them, but not well and not for long. How long you've had them? Days? Weeks?  
Months? Couldn't have held on to them that long if you weren't meant to keep them."  
  
"Then the Firebird knew all along that I was...?"  
  
"Of course! Aerials have inherent magic. How else could they shape-shift the way they  
do?" asked Prospero. "Anyone with magic-sight can see an Aerial no matter what shape they  
wear. There is very little magic left in you, Eugene, but there is enough. You are human mostly,  
but there is Aerial blood in you, too."  
  
Skull sat and listened to the pronunciation with his mind reeling. Him? An Aerial? But  
that meant he wasn't even completely human! And yet... and yet it explained so much. How he'd  
never really fit in with other people, for example. Why Tien had felt more like home to him than  
the world on which he'd been born, and why he'd fit in so easily with the people there. Why he  
had come to love flying and how he'd taken so naturally to it. Could that be why he and Cedar  
had made friends so easily - because she was the first person he'd ever met who was truly his  
own kind. It was a lot to take in at once.  
  
"Isn't that wonderful, Eugene?" asked Cedar. "Tien really is your home, after all."  
  
"But so is Oryllia," he replied, managing to pull his brain into gear again. "And me the  
descendent of an Oryllian hero. No wonder Garudan came looking for me. Hope I don't wind up  
disappointing him."  
  
"Garudan is back?" asked Prospero. "Interesting news, this is. Has been many years since  
the Elemental Birds were seen here."  
  
"Well, now there are two of them," said Skull. "The Firebird and the Thunderbird."  
  
"Firebird," Prospero said thoughtfully. "And he is not here with you?"  
  
"He left us," said Cedar sullenly. "Took off looking for friends and never returned.  
Garudan says we can't trust Firebird anymore."  
  
"Ah, yes. Fenikus is a shifty old bird," said Prospero. "Forgetful. Probably overdue for a  
tuneup, whoo!" The old owl chuckled at some private joke.  
  
"Tuneup?" Cedar repeated. "What does that mean?"  
  
"Yeah, I didn't think Firebirds ever needed their brakes checked and their oil changed,"  
said Skull.  
  
"No, no, not like that," said Prospero. "What your Firebird needs is his heart  
changed."  
  
"That, I'll agree with," Skull replied. "Just one question: how do you do that?"  
  
"Is Firebird's nature," said Prospero, as if that was obvious. "It is in his name. Fenikus.  
Phoenix. Do you know anything about the Phoenix of legend?"  
  
"That was that bird who set itself on fire and then hatched out of an egg again," said  
Skull, proud that he actually knew the answer to a question.  
  
"Right," Prospero replied, "and your Fenikus is the original for that story. One thing even  
Garudan does not realize about his brother, because it is one trait they do not share. Garudan  
purifies himself by the choice of his soul-brothers, moving from one to another so that his  
essence is kept in constant flux. That is the way of air. But Prospero remembers Fenikus from old  
days, and he knows something no one remembers any more. The nature of fire is to burn and die,  
leaving nothing but ash. The longer the fire is left untended, the less like a fire it becomes, yes?  
Same for Firebird. He begins good and pure as fire, but the longer he burns, the more corrupt he  
gets. He must renew himself every once in a while and be born again. He doesn't like it. Too  
proud, is Fenikus. Thinks he can get by without help. Bet he hasn't done it."  
  
"Okay, I'll believe that," said Skull, who hadn't understood half of what had been said.  
"So... you think Firebird will behave better if he gets renewed, or whatever you said?"  
  
"Right," said Prospero. "Would be a good idea to try it, I'm thinking. Will be nothing but  
trouble if your own patron has turned against you."  
  
"So, how do we get him back on our side?" asked Cedar.  
  
"Well," Prospero replied, "the first thing to do would be to kill him."  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
Charla was eavesdropping on a very interesting conversation. High court was being held  
in Zedd's throne room, an interesting parody of a justice system that she usually enjoyed  
watching. When the old king had still been in power, it had been customary for the people to  
come to him to hear court cases and judge their fairness. In these times, the king's throne room  
was used for meting out punishment to transgressors. Charla saw a number of grim-faced guards  
holding a variety of offenders in the back of the room: a brave young man who'd been caught  
trying to escape the city walls, a young woman who had stolen bread to feed her children, and  
several citizens whose sleeves had been ripped away to show off their telltale copper bracelets.  
Thorald was also there, lurking in the shadows and trying not to be seen - not something that was  
likely to work in the court of this king.  
  
"Captain," Zedd barked, his growling voice cutting through the murmur of onlookers and  
the woman's quiet sobs. "I see you've finally made it here. The news must be very good this  
morning, for you to be so eager to share it. Quit sniveling, stand forth, and report."  
  
"Yes, highness," said Thorald, stepping out into the center of the room. He neared Zedd's  
throne and dropped to one knee. "I am at your service, as always."  
  
"Yes, yes, never mind all that. I've heard it before," answered the king testily. "Quit  
stalling already."  
  
"He's just observing the proper formalities," Charla reminded him. "You ordered him to  
do so on pain of death. You can't have it both ways."  
  
"Ahem, yes, so I did," grumbled Zedd. "Anyway, now he ought to be finished. Tell me,  
Captain, how have your men managed to foul things up this time?"  
  
"My men have asked that I bring you a message," said Thorald, choosing his words  
carefully. "Last night, as we pursued the leader of the rebels who call themselves the Copper  
Band, we saw... well, you aren't going to believe this, and I wouldn't either if I hadn't seen it  
with my own eyes, but... we saw the Thunderbird."  
  
There was a communal gasp from all onlookers. A few of them made signs against  
danger; others looked up with sudden hope.  
  
"Did you really?" asked Zedd suspiciously. "And how do you know this wasn't  
just some trick, or an illusion? How would you even know a Thunderbird if you saw one?"  
  
"That's what it said it was, and I didn't hang around to argue with it," Thorald replied. "It  
made all the street lights go out and turned the fog into a thunderstorm. My men fled in fear, and  
I had no choice but to leave with them. Otherwise, I would have stayed and faced him and his  
minions."  
  
"Minions?" repeated Zedd. "Elaborate on that."  
  
"There were two of them, besides the Band leader. A golden bird with fiery wings, and a  
man in an outlandish black costume."  
  
"Entirely black?" asked Zedd. "Or patterned in red? And with a purple mask and purple  
wings?"  
  
"It is as you say, all-seeing one," said Thorald.  
  
"That Falcon!" Zedd roared. "He's found me again! How could he have done that? It's  
been over ten thousand years! How could he still be alive?"  
  
"Falcon?" repeated Thorald. "Begging your pardon, highness, but of what import is a  
bird?"  
  
"No bird, you numbskull," Zedd answered. "A warrior calling himself the Dark Falcon.  
He is my sworn enemy. I thought I had seen the last of him with the downfall of Tien, but if he  
has returned..."  
  
"My lord," Charla interjected smoothly, "I move we continue this discussion somewhere  
more private. There are doubtless things we will want to discuss that are not meant to be heard by  
common ears."  
  
"You do come up with a good idea every once in a while," Zedd replied. "All right,  
everyone, out of here! Not you," he added, glaring at Thorald. "You stay right where you are."  
  
Thorald sighed and did as he was told, settling back into the uncomfortable kneeling  
position he'd been holding. The other guards and their captives shuffled out, herding their  
captives to wait in the antechamber.  
  
"Now we can discuss this matter in peace, more or less," said Charla. "I have a few  
contributions to make that I don't want anyone else to hear."  
  
"I don't see what the problem is, begging your royal pardons," said Thorald. "What did  
this Dark Falcon person do to you? He didn't look all that dangerous. He looked kind of stupid,  
really, if you want my opinion."  
  
"Nobody does," said Zedd, "and for your information, it's the Dark Falcon's fault that I  
lost Tien, the war against Zordon, and am now forced to wear this shape instead of my proper  
form, which is why I don't like talking about him."  
  
Thorald cringed as he watched the air around his ruler flare red. "Sorry I asked."  
  
"You should be," answered Zedd. "I hadn't seen or heard from him in eons. I had  
expected him to be dead by now."  
  
"You can fix that," said Charla. "We'll just find him and kill him. Torture him a while  
first, if you like. I'll help."  
  
"Silence, woman! It's not that easy. If it had been, I would have done so years ago."  
  
"Ah, but then you didn't have me," said Charla smugly. "The Dark Falcon is admittedly a  
great warrior, but when he is without his powers, he's just an ordinary man."  
  
"Sure, we'll just keep him from using his powers, then," Zedd answered sarcastically.  
"That'll be a cinch. How do you think we're going to do that?"  
  
"Very simply. We just take them away," Charla replied. "Or rather, we ask the Firebird to  
do it for us."  
  
"Have you lost your mind?" asked Zedd. "Even if we could find the Firebird, he'd  
incinerate us as soon as look at us."  
  
"Guess again," Charla replied. "The esteemed Firebird may be powerful, but he has his  
weaknesses. Beautiful women are one of them. Long ago, he gave me a token of power that binds  
him to me. He'll do as I tell him. Watch."  
  
With a graceful gesture, the sorceress pulled a feather out of the air and held it up for all  
to see. It was six inches long, elegantly curved, and shimmered in every color of the rainbow. A  
small portion of the air around it seemed to take on a pale haze as every object nearby dulled in  
comparison. A gentle rain of sparks fell from it briefly, vanishing before they could touch the  
floor. She waved the feather in an arc above her head. A few seconds later, there was an  
answering flash, and the Firebird appeared near the roof of the throne room and swooped to land  
at Charla's feet.  
  
"You called, my lady?" he inquired. Then he glanced up. "Oh, it's you again.  
Hello. You recovered better from the accident than I thought you would. How remarkable."  
  
"Don't take that tone of voice with me, you technicolor featherduster," Zedd snapped.  
  
Charla shrugged. "He can't help it. He was born a snob."  
  
"I was not. I was simply raised to have an honest idea of my own brilliance."  
  
"Hmm. I see what you mean," said Zedd.  
  
"Great stars and comets," Thorald whispered, staring at the bird. "You really do  
know the Firebird!"  
  
"I know him quite well," answered Charla smugly. She turned back to the bird. "Listen,  
Fenikus, dear, we're having a little problem we thought you'd like to help us with. Would you be  
interested in doing us a little favor?"  
  
"Anything for you, beautiful lady," Firebird answered.  
  
"Fine," she replied. "We don't like the Dark Falcon. Get rid of him."  
  
"You mean, kill him? But I can't do that," Firebird protested. "I'll lose all  
my powers if I take the life of an innocent."  
  
"So don't hurt him, then," Charla replied. "Just take his powers away. You made him;  
you can unmake him."  
  
"Hmm... Yes! I could do that!" Firebird replied. "He's been getting to be a  
nuisance, anyway. Won't take orders at all, and he's been mixing up with my brother as of late.  
It's time I did something about him, anyway."  
  
"This creature would turn on his own warrior just like that?" Zedd remarked. "A natural  
turncoat... I think I like him."  
  
"And once the Dark Falcon's powers are removed," Charla added, "we can give them to  
someone else - someone who'll use them properly, to further our own causes."  
  
"But not just anyone," Firebird warned. "The Dark Falcon powers were  
meant to be used by Aerials. Anyone who uses them has to have at least a little Aerial blood in  
them, or they won't work. Only the Storm Raven's powers will adhere to someone of pure  
human stock."  
  
"Well, there goes that brilliant idea," said Zedd. "What good are powers if you can't give  
them to anyone you want? There haven't been Aerials on Oryllia since I took control, and there  
are no Tienese left... not that I know of, anyway."  
  
"Perhaps not, but there are halfbreeds," said an unexpected voice. Everyone turned to  
look at Thorald.  
  
"And just what is that comment supposed to mean?" asked Zedd.  
  
Thorald shrugged. "Aerials sometimes chose to crossbreed with humans. After a while,  
the crossbreeds lost their shapeshifting talents, so they're indistinguishable from human beings,  
and thus, they were left alone while the pure Aerials were destroyed... and my great-great-  
grandfather was half-Aerial."  
  
"He speaks the truth," said the Firebird. "The mark is there, even more  
strongly than the current Falcon. It would be child's play to transfer the powers to him. All I'd  
have to do is convince my young warrior to put an end to his adventuring. That should not be  
difficult. He is not the bravest of men."  
  
"Excellent," Zedd chuckled. "This works out very nicely. If I have the Dark Falcon on my  
side, no one would dare contest my power, and we could put a stop to that meddlesome Copper  
Band once and for all. See to it! I have to get on with the rest of my judgements."  
  
"As you wish, my lord," said Charla. "I wish to leave now. Meetings are so monotonous.  
Come, Captain. You may escort me back to my chambers."  
  
"I'll go see where my wayward warrior has gone," Firebird announced. "I  
shall return shortly." He was gone in a flash of colored light that left a faint smell of  
brimstone on the air.  
  
Zedd barely noticed as Charla and Thorald slipped soundlessly out of the judgement hall  
and into a side stairway. He was well aware, or thought he was, of what the two got up to when  
he wasn't looking, and he didn't particularly care. He figured a woman with her reputation was  
going to chase men behind his back anyway, and as long as she and the captain were busy with  
amorous pursuits, they wouldn't be causing trouble.  
  
"There are times," Charla remarked to Thorald, "that I really and truly wonder if his mind  
wasn't damaged more in that accident than he says it was."  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Thorald asked.  
  
"I don't think it's even crossed his mind that we might decide to cross him," she replied.  
"We should, though. It's a perfect opportunity."  
  
"You have my attention. What's on your mind?"  
  
"Firebird assures me that the young man who carries the Dark Falcon powers currently is  
nowhere near a hero - weak, foolish, and cowardly - and yet he still was able to single-handedly  
end Zedd's war. Imagine what could be done by a man of your strength and wiles. Imagine what I  
could do with all the magic of the Firebird at my disposal."  
  
"I see what you're getting at," Thorald replied. "You know, I begin to tire of being called  
'Captain.' Do you think 'King' would suit me better?"  
  
"I rather fancy being called 'Queen,' myself," Charla replied.  
  
"It suits you well, my dear," Thorald replied. "Shall we retire to discuss our plans at  
greater length?"  
  
"Discussion only," warned Charla. "We don't need to make the Firebird jealous this early  
in the game. But it wouldn't hurt to drink a toast to our success... to the end of Lord Zedd, and  
the end of the pathetic creature who calls himself a Dark Falcon."  
  
**********************************************************  
  
"Kill him?" Skull repeated. "But-but-but I don't think I could..."  
  
"Not permanent," said Prospero. "Isn't that how the legend goes? Bird dies, bird is  
reborn. Told you he didn't like it."  
  
"I wouldn't, either," said Skull.  
  
"Garudan told us he died," Cedar commented. "He was allowed new life because he died  
for a good cause. Is that what Firebird has to do?"  
  
"Whoo! No!" Prospero hooted. "Good thing, too, or he'd never do it. No, he dies the  
usual way, by fire. Dying's easy. Being reborn... not so easy. Needs help."  
  
"What kind of help?" asked Skull.  
  
"A woman's help. A special woman. A Firebird woman. They are special, and very rare.  
Women with the nature of birds and the spirits of fire, who can share their life-force with Fenikus  
to make him strong again. Not all of them good, though. Firebird's last helper was very wicked  
woman. Still is, whoo! Is partly her fault. You need to find a better one for him next time."  
  
"I'll see what I can do," said Skull. "As a matter of fact, I might even know where to find  
one of those Firebird women."  
  
The conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door, and Pyrrin peeked inside,  
looking worried.  
  
"I hate to interrupt," he said, "but there's a Firebird here looking for you."  
  
Cedar sighed. "How does he always know when we're talking about him?"  
  
"Guess we'd better go talk to him," said Skull. "I have a few words I'd like to say to him,  
too, I think. Where is he?"  
  
"Upstairs, at the surface," Pyrrin replied. "You'd better go do something about him. I  
don't like anything that noticeable hanging around the front door. If Zedd were to notice and send  
someone to investigate, we'd all be in trouble."  
  
"We'll get rid of him," said Skull. "Thanks for lunch, Prospero. Thanks for the info.  
Come on, Cedar. Let's go see what Firebird wants."  
  
Pyrrin led them back to the surface, looking around worriedly as if he expected Zedd's  
warriors to already be waiting in the wings. Instead, all they found was the multicolored  
Elemental Bird perched haughtily on the tip of a broken pillar, looking down on them from a  
fifteen-foot height.  
  
"There you are!" he said. "I've been looking all over for you. I have some  
interesting news for you."  
  
"Is that a fact?" Skull replied warily. He didn't like the look on the Firebird's face;  
anytime he looked that cheerful, there had to be trouble going on.  
  
"Indeed," Firebird replied. "You might even appreciate it. You see, I've  
found you a replacement."  
  
"Replacement?" Skull repeated.  
  
"Yes. I knew you'd be pleased," said the Firebird, preening. "I noticed you  
never seemed to enjoy this superhero business very much, and, well, to put it bluntly, you aren't  
very good at it. I've found someone much more suited to the job, so-"  
  
"Wait a minute!" Cedar protested. "Are you saying that you don't want Eugene to be the  
Dark Falcon anymore?"  
  
"That's it exactly," Firebird answered. "All he has to do is hand over his  
powers and go home - back to Earth, or Tien, or Terra Venture, or whatever he prefers. Or he can  
stay here if he likes; it's all the same to me. The same goes for you - I'm sure the new Falcon  
would appreciate your help, but you are welcome to return to your home."  
  
"And what if I don't want to give up?" asked Skull. "I like being the Dark Falcon.  
I don't want to quit! I was just getting good at it!"  
  
"That's debatable," said the Firebird. "It was your job to protect Tien, wasn't  
it? Well, you failed. Have a look around, if you want. The planet of Tien is gone here. You hear  
that? There's nothing left of it - just an empty spot in the universe where it used to be. It was your  
responsibility to keep that from happening, and you royally blew it. I won't sit here and let the  
same thing happen to Oryllia, so I'm giving your powers to someone who can use them  
properly."  
  
"You're lying!" Skull shouted, his hand clasped protectively around his amulet. "You're  
lying to me, and you're not taking my powers!"  
  
"Oh, yes, I am," Firebird replied, "and there's nothing you can do about  
it!"  
  
There was a flash as he dropped from the point of the pillar and landed on the ground in a  
swirl of blinding lights. When they cleared, the bird was gone, and in his place was a man  
dressed in blazing white clothing. Skull stared as he took in the details of the costume - the same  
feather patterns he'd always seen on his own suit, but picked out in rainbow shades instead of red  
and violet, and the Firebird's aquamarine eyes blazed from behind a golden mask.  
  
"Do you want to tangle with me now, Eugene?" asked Fenikus. "I don't think you do. In  
this form, I'm more powerful than you could ever be."  
  
"We'll see about that," Skull replied. "Will you help me here, Cedar?"  
  
"Always," she agreed.  
  
They shouted their words of transformation, and the battle began. The Firebird watched  
with a look of smug amusement as the Dark Falcon rushed him, deflecting the attack with a calm  
flip of one rainbow wing, using his other hand to punch Skull in the gut, making him stagger  
back with the wind knocked out of him. Cedar swooped in screaming, but the Firebird flipped  
out a laser and shot her back with rapid pulses of white light. Skull heard her scream as she fell,  
landing painfully on a heap of sharp stones, and the sight of his friend being hurt unleashed  
waves of fury. Bad enough that the Firebird was trying to steal Skull's source of pride and  
identity, but to be hurting Cedar, his loyal friend...  
  
Firebird's memory was selective; he could remember Skull as a bumbling clown, but he  
couldn't have imagined he'd suddenly find himself staring into the eyes of an angry warrior who  
matched him glare for fiery glare. Skull slowly drew his sword, all the while giving the bird a  
death look.  
  
"Uh-oh," Firebird said.  
  
Skull sprang. Firebird tried to dodge, but Skull had been expecting the move and changed  
course in midair with a flip of his wing. They both hit the rocky ground, but Skull had the upper  
hand and used it. He raked the sword across Fenikus's chest...  
  
...and fell back with a cry of pain, staring in shock at a smoking gash across the front of  
his armor.  
  
"Fool," Firebird spat, laboriously raising himself from the ground. "You and I are  
connected to each other. I am your power source. If you kill me, your powers will go out with  
me."  
  
Skull gritted his teeth in anger, but deep inside, he knew the bird was right. On Terra  
Venture, when they had fought the Thornspike monster, he had felt a sensation of wrongness  
when the Firebird had come under attack. But he had to kill the Firebird somehow - he was  
dangerous, and he would never cease to be so until an end was put to him. What could he do?  
  
"You've got no choice but to give up," Firebird replied. "I'm going to have those powers,  
whether you give them to me or I take them by force."  
  
"You - you can't kill me," said Skull. "Garudan told me so. He said if you kill someone,  
you'll lose all your powers, too."  
  
Fenikus smiled, and Skull felt a chill.  
  
"I am not allowed to murder innocents, yes," said the Firebird. "However, you tried to kill  
me, and I have the gashes to prove it. You turned on someone who was trying to help you, and  
that means if I fight back, it's nothing more sinister than self-defense. Hand over your amulet,  
Eugene, or I will kill you."  
  
Skull stared at the Firebird, trying to read the expression on his face, and saw nothing but  
insanity.  
  
*It's always been there. Why didn't I see it? Prospero's right; he's out of control.*  
  
With a deep sigh, Skull shifted back to his natural form and slipped the amulet off,  
moving it as if it weighed a thousand pounds. He dropped it in the dust at Firebird's feet.  
  
"You come to your senses," Fenikus replied, scooping up his prize. "Good for you.  
Farewell, Eugene. From now on, learn not to meddle in the affairs of Immortals."  
  
"Near Immortals," Skull snapped. "You're a poser and you know it, and you won't get  
away with this."  
  
A fireball flew in his direction, but he stood firm. No matter what Firebird said, he knew  
he was innocent, and if he died he'd take Firebird with him. Besides, nothing could hurt as much  
as giving up the amulet did. Perhaps Firebird knew that; the bolt fizzled out inches short of  
reaching its target.  
  
"Let that be a warning to you," said Firebird sulkily. "Next time, I won't miss."  
  
With that, he shifted back into bird-form and flew away, dragging half of Skulls' soul on  
a chain in the shape of a silver amulet. Skull turned away sadly and went to check on Cedar. She  
had morphed back into human form and was lying dazedly on the rocks. He lifted her up gently.  
  
"Cedar, are you all right? Are you hurt?" he asked.  
  
Cedar's eyes fluttered open. "What happened? Did he take your necklace?"  
  
"Yeah," Skull sighed. "There was nothing else I could do. He was too much for me.  
Guess I'm still not much of a hero, huh?"  
  
"You did all you could. It is not your fault you can't fight off an Immortal."  
  
"You're always trying to make me feel better," said Skull. "Why do you do that when I  
always wind up letting you down?"  
  
"You only would have let me down if you had given up without a fight," said Cedar.  
"You haven't failed yet. You won't know for sure if you've failed or not until the day you die. As  
long as you live, there is a chance to set things right."  
  
"Maybe so," Skull agreed. "Anyway, I know I'm not giving up just yet, not while  
Firebird's got my amulet. I don't care what he says, it's mine, and I'm not letting him keep it."  
  
"Then I'm staying with you," said Cedar.  
  
"Are you sure?" Skull replied. "I don't want to see you get hurt again. Neither one of us is  
safe here."  
  
"All the more reason to stay," said Cedar. "We're partners. We have to be here to protect  
each other."  
  
Skull smiled a little. "That's what I figured you'd say. Too bad I'm not up to doing a  
whole lot of protecting right now. This is one of the times I start to wish a real hero would step in  
and take over."  
  
"You'll think of something," Cedar assured him.  
  
Skull nodded. For once, he had thought of something, and now a plan was beginning to  
hatch in the back of his mind. Right now, a real hero was needed, and he thought he knew just  
where to get one... or more.   
  
"You know who would come in handy right now?" Skull asked. "The Power Rangers." 


	10. Hero in Training

Disclaimer: Skull, Lord Zedd, Andros, Zhane, Ecliptor, Darkonda, Dark Specter, and various  
other things belong to Saban. How did I get them all in the same fic? Read and find out!  
  
Hero in Training  
by: SilvorMoon  
  
Even the sunsets looked dull on Oryllia. Skull watched as the sky shifted from blue to a  
dirty yellow color as night began to draw nearer. Outside of Zedd's city, the sky would have been  
a breathtaking sight, but the fog and grime that hung in the air gave everything a sickly look.  
What little color did manage to seep through was unpleasant, bloody reds and moody purples.  
The fiery colors made Skull think of the Firebird and his missing powers, and he was doing quite  
enough of that as it was.  
  
"Aren't you going to come down, Eugene?" asked a small voice.  
  
Skull looked down. He was sitting on the top of one of the slag heaps that were all that  
was left of the king's old palace, hoping that the relatively fresh and cool air might help his brain  
processes a little - they needed all the help they could get right now. He had been there most of  
the day, lost in thought, and it seemed his sidekick was getting worried about him.  
  
"Sure, I might as well," he sighed, beginning his descent. "I wasn't doing much good up  
there, anyway."  
  
He picked his way down the side of the hill, searching for secure footholds amid the  
jumble of broken rock. Halfway down the slope, a stone slipped out from under his foot and sent  
him bumping painfully to the ground. With angry exclamations, he spat the sand out of his mouth  
and began berating the world in general, while Cedar looked on unhappily. She couldn't have  
known the definitions of half the words he was using, but the tone of his voice was clear enough.  
  
"Are you all right?" she asked.  
  
Skull sighed. "Yeah. Sorry. I'm just so frustrated, you know?"  
  
"You've had a bad day. Should come inside and rest a while. Think about something else,"  
Cedar encouraged. "Can't think when you're upset."  
  
"Can't think at all," Skull muttered. "Man, I feel like such an idiot. What kind of a hero  
lets his so-called friends steal his powers and take off with them?"  
  
"Is that all you've been thinking about?" asked Cedar.  
  
"Mostly. Why?"  
  
"How do you expect to think of an answer if that's all you think about?"  
  
Skull blushed. "Good point. I guess it would be a good idea to come in for a while. If  
someone found me out here, we'd be in more trouble than we are already."  
  
They went back inside, into the dark underground city that was known as the Court of the  
King. It was pitch black for the first few dozen yards, but that didn't make any difference. Skull  
was still so wrapped up in his problems that he probably wouldn't have noticed if someone had  
been shooting off fireworks. Despite Cedar's scoldings, he couldn't help but berate himself for his  
failure. One day, he'd thought he had everything under control, and now everything was suddenly  
falling apart. As a matter of fact, they were worse than they had been before he had started.  
  
*I knew I'd be no good at this job,* he thought. *I wish it had been someone  
else. Someone else would have done better. Even if they hadn't, I still wouldn't be in this mess  
right now. It wouldn't hurt me so much. I wish I had someone here who knew what they were  
doing - a Power Ranger or something, a real hero. Better yet, I wish I could back up and make it  
so none of this ever happened...*  
  
Those last two thoughts rattled around in his head until they crashed into each other, and  
an idea exploded out. Skull was mildly amazed. Cedar must have sensed his shock, because she  
turned and looked at him expectantly.  
  
"Did you think of something?"she asked.  
  
"I might have," he replied. "Cedar, how does that crystal of yours work, exactly?"  
  
"Who knows?" Cedar answered. "It is magic, after all. Can't say how it works. It just does  
what I tell it."  
  
"Could anyone use it?"  
  
"If they wanted to," said Cedar, after a second of thought. "Takes some concentration,  
and you have to be careful. It will do exactly what you tell it, not what you want it to do. Have to  
think about what you're going to ask first. Why?"  
  
"Could I use it?"  
  
"Maybe... Do you really want to use it? Might be bad idea," Cedar warned. "Takes a lot of  
practice to learn how to ask it right. Might make a mistake if you tried to use it, and this is bad  
place for mistakes. Would be better if you let me use it."  
  
"Oh, I don't want to do anything dangerous," Skull assured her. "I just wanted to check  
something. Would you mind if I borrowed it?"  
  
"If you make a mistake and send yourself somewhere, I won't be able to bring you back,"  
Cedar warned. "What are you up to?"  
  
"Nothing much," Skull replied. "If you don't want me to try, I won't."  
  
Cedar studied his face for a moment, trying to get some sense of what he was thinking,  
but whatever expression that was behind his eyes was too complex for her to read. She looked  
away again.  
  
"I'll trust you," she said.  
  
Skull nodded. "I won't let you down."  
  
And that should have been the end of the experiment... but it wasn't.  
  
That night, Skull found himself unable to sleep. His accommodations were better than they  
had been the previous night - actually quite comfortable, if you didn't mind sleeping underground.  
Cedar didn't seem bothered by it, and she had fallen asleep almost at once, curled up in a ball of  
feathers. Skull watched her from his own bunk on the other side of the room, sitting cross-legged  
with his chin propped on his hands like some kind of frustrated guru. He'd spent a full day in  
Oryllia, and the only thing he'd managed to change was to bring his enemy some dangerous  
friends and his powers. He could tell himself that he wasn't the Dark Falcon anymore, but  
his heart refused to believe it, and the thought of one of Zedd's sleazy minions putting their slimy  
paws all over his amulet made him grit his teeth in revulsion. He had to get it back, but  
how? How was he - not even a hero anymore - going to get that necklace away from the king of  
the world? He needed help, and he wasn't going to get it on Oryllia. Again, his thoughts went  
wistfully back to the Power Rangers. They would have known how to handle a situation like this -  
they could do anything, couldn't they? If only he could get to them to come help him, or at least  
give him some advice.  
  
*But I can't get to them without the Crystal, or Cedar's help, or the Thunderbird,*  
he thought. *I can't exactly make the Thunderbird come when I call him, so that's out, and I  
don't know if Cedar understands. She really believes I'm up to this... I don't want to disappoint  
her, but she's wrong. If I'm going to look for help, I'll have to do it without her.*  
  
That wasn't a very settling idea. The last time he'd tried to do something without Cedar's  
help, it had ended rather messily, and it had taken a great deal of effort to straighten everything  
out.  
  
*But that was the Firebird trying to make life difficult for me. I knew it was the wrong  
thing to do. This is different. I've gotta try, anyway.*  
  
Moving carefully, quietly, Skull tiptoed over to where Cedar slept, the amber pendant still  
hanging at her throat. He gently undid the clasp and slipped it off. The stone was dark when he  
first picked it up, but when he touched it, it glowed softly and warmed his hands. Cedar stirred a  
little and murmured something.  
  
"Don't worry, Cedar. I'll bring it back safe," Skull promised. He stood a moment, feeling  
suddenly awkward. Impulsively, he leaned over and gently kissed her cheek.  
  
"That's a promise," he whispered. Then he slipped back to his side of the room, hiding  
himself in the deepest shadows of the room.   
  
He turned his attention back to the crystal. Cedar had said that it would take him wherever  
and whenever he wanted to be, if he just asked the right way. Now was his time to find out.  
  
"I need help," he told it, and the stone's light seemed to shift in response to his words.  
"Bring me to someone who can help me. Take me to the Power Rangers!"  
  
The light seemed to explode, filling his world, driving off all the shadows and slipping  
under his closed eyelids to burn his eyes. The floor fell away, the walls disappeared, and  
everything around him was spinning in amber fire. There was a nauseating sensation of spinning  
wildly across the universe as something tried to pull him in a million directions at once. He tried to  
scream, but there was no air, only fire and light and himself spinning, spinning, spinning....  
  
******************************************************************  
  
Skull came around an indeterminate time later, suffering from the worst headache he'd  
ever had. Every muscle ached, as if he'd been rolled down a rocky hill in a barrel. He seemed to  
be lying on his back, resting on something prickly, and beyond that, he had no idea what was  
going on. After a few minutes, he managed to pry his eyes open and look around.  
  
The first thing he saw was an expanse of blue, streaked with wispy clouds. A few spiky  
green things were on the fringes of his vision. His brain still felt like someone had run it through a  
blender, but he was eventually able to realize that they were trees. Encouraged, he pulled himself  
into a sitting position and took a more thorough look around. He seemed to be in a meadow or  
perhaps a park of some sort, lying on the grass. In the distance, he could make out buildings of  
red brick and white stone built into graceful geometric shapes, but there was evidence that they  
had been badly damaged in the recent past. A chill crept over Skull as he realized that he'd never  
seen anything like those buildings - not on Earth.  
  
"Stupid!" he scolded himself aloud.   
  
Now he was just remembering what he should have thought of a while ago: that the  
Rangers he knew from Earth were not the only Rangers there had ever been. Certainly he knew  
about the ones from Terra Venture, but he dimly remembered something about there being other  
worlds involved, as well. Hadn't some from that last batch been from distant planet? He was sure  
someone had said as much on one of those interminable talk shows that had been filmed after the  
last battle. Not only that, but they were spread across a gap of thousands of years, the first ones  
appearing as early as Cedar's time. That must have been why the trip was so rough - the Crystal  
hadn't had any idea where to put him down. The question was, where and when was he now?  
  
He was still sitting the ground wondering what to do with himself, when he became aware  
that he wasn't alone. Someone was back in the bushes, watching him with a gaze that made his  
back prickle. He turned and saw a flash of movement as his observer headed for safer territory.  
  
"Hey, come back!" Skull called. "I need some help!"  
  
The eyes reappeared, two bright glints attached to a vaguer shape in the shadows.  
  
"Who are you?" asked a cold voice. "I'm warning you, if you're one of Dark Specter's  
men, you'll wish you never set foot on my planet!"  
  
"Dark Specter?" Skull repeated, momentarily perplexed. *Oh, yeah, wasn't he the one  
that blew up during that war?*   
  
He called back to the suspicious stranger, "You got it all wrong! I'm just lost. I don't  
want any trouble." On an inspiration, he added, "When I fight for anyone, I fight on Zordon's  
side. See?"  
  
He fished around in his jeans pocket and pulled out the medal Zordon had given Skull  
after his battle with Lord Zedd. The ribbon was a little crinkled from being stuffed in his pocket a  
few days, but the gold still glittered in the sunlight. The owner of the eyes looked impressed.  
  
"Zordon, huh?" he said thoughtfully. "Well, I guess you're all right, then. All of Dark  
Specter's people are too proud of being villains to think of using his name." The eyes  
disappeared, and the stranger's voice could be heard shouting, "Hey, come see what I found!"  
  
There was a rustling in the bushes, as if someone was running through the underbrush, and  
then two young men stepped into view. In the lead came the one Skull had first spoken to, a dark-  
eyed, serious faced boy with long hair banded in brown and gold. His face was graceful and soft-  
lined, but his expression was fixed in stony serious. His companion was in direct contrast, being  
muscular and grinning where his companion was slender and solemn. His hair was blonde, but it  
glittered like metal where the sun touched it, and his clothing was made of something that gave  
off a muted silver gleam, whereas his friend was dressed in something plainer and sturdier, a  
simple suit of bright red trimmed in black.  
  
*Wait a minute, I know these guys...* Skull thought. His memory drifted back,  
back to when the forces of evil had nearly destroyed his world and all other worlds, when  
darkness had been washed away forever in a wave of golden light, when the Rangers had finally  
taken off their masks... Skull had seen these faces then, both dark with tears and bright with  
victory. These faces were younger, less careworn, but definitely the same ones he'd seen then.   
  
"You're Andros," he said to the young man in red, "and you're Zhane."  
  
Andros's dark eyes flashed again. "How did you know that? Are you sure you're not a  
spy? The truth, now."  
  
"Easy, Andros!" said his friend, laughing a bit. "Just because he knows who we are  
doesn't make him an enemy. Our identities are no secret among our friends."  
  
"Maybe," Andros replied, "but I still want to know who he is and what he's doing here."  
He turned and faced Skull. "Well? Can you explain yourself?"  
  
"I can't even do that when I'm not in trouble," Skull muttered, but kept it quiet so  
the suspicious young Ranger couldn't hear him. It seemed the Crystal had delivered him to the  
Rangers, after all, even if not the precise ones he'd been thinking of. It surprised him to realize  
that he was actually older than them by a few years. Not only that, but there only seemed to be  
two of them - not quite what he'd been hoping for. Then again, he'd also asked it to bring him to  
someone who could help him, and it must have known what it was doing.  
  
"You can call me... Eugene. Eugene Truebird," he said. He wasn't entirely sure they'd be  
willing to trust a stranger who called himself Skull, and he wasn't sure he wanted them to ever  
connect him with Skull Skullovitch when they met him. If he never told them, they'd probably  
never recognize him. Anyway, he liked the name of his Oryllian ancestor, and he had gotten used  
to Cedar calling him Eugene. It wasn't such a bad name, really...  
  
"Well, it seems like you already know our names, so we shouldn't have to introduce  
ourselves," Zhane replied. "How'd you find them out, anyway? We've been trying to keep a low  
profile, lately."  
  
"You couldn't keep a low profile if your life depended on it, Zhane," said Andros, eyeing  
his friend's glittery garb.  
  
"Well, you're Power Rangers, aren't you?" said Skull. "I'm sort of a hero myself... or I  
was up until a little while ago," he added dejectedly. "That's why I came out here. I was trying to  
find some help, and I guess I got lost."  
  
"You're a hero?" asked Zhane doubtfully.  
  
"I was," Skull replied. "Things sorta got out of hand after a while, but... I used to be the  
Dark Falcon."  
  
There was an, "Ahhh!" of understanding from both boys, and Skull tried to read the  
expression that lit up behind their eyes.  
  
"You've heard of me?" he asked, without much enthusiasm.  
  
"Of course! Everyone around here knows about him," said Zhane. "He's on the history  
books and everything."  
  
*Oh, man, did I mess up that bad?* was Skull's first reaction, but Zhane continued  
talking.  
  
"Considering your reputation, maybe we ought to be the ones asking you for help," he  
said. "They say you've been in the business of fighting evil for thousands of years. Is that true?"  
  
Skull considered. Thousands of years? Well, if you considered the gap between the time  
he'd spent on Tien and on Terra Venture... "Yeah, I guess that's one way to put it."  
  
"You don't look thousands of years old," Zhane opined.  
  
"Well, you don't act your age," Andros shot back, "so don't pick on him."  
  
"I'm not," Zhane replied. He turned back to Skull. "Sorry for my friend - we've been  
under a lot of stress lately, and he's getting a little strung out."  
  
"Yeah, you said you needed help," said Skull, puzzled. "What's with that? I didn't think  
Power Rangers ever needed help. They're kinda unbeatable, aren't they?"  
  
"You've been listening to rumors," said Andros. "We all have our problems once in a  
while... but lately we've been having them all the time. Dark Specter himself has decided he wants  
KO-35 destroyed. If it had just been one of his minions after this world, even the lesser nobility,  
we could have handled it, but we just don't have what it takes to hold him off. Look at us! There  
are supposed to be six of us altogether. What have we got? Him and me."  
  
"What happened to the others?" asked Skull.  
  
"Well, there never were any Pink and Yellow Rangers," Zhane explained. "When we had a  
small problem, we didn't want any girls to join, and once the problem got big, none of them  
wanted to join. As for Blue and Black, we had them for a while, but they eventually had to  
leave. We still see them sometimes, but..." He shrugged. "Things aren't so good."  
  
"I see," said Skull slowly. "Sorry. Man, I know how that is when everything goes wrong.  
Everything's gone wrong for me, too, and I don't know where to turn. I guess you guys have too  
much going on to help me out, though..."  
  
"Hey, we didn't say that!" said Zhane. "What good is a Power Ranger if they can't help  
out a friend once in a while? At least come back to the base, have a snack, and tell us what's  
wrong."  
  
"Sounds like a great idea to me," said Skull. "Thanks. I'll owe you one for that."  
  
"Think of it as a favor between friends," said Zhane.  
  
Skull trotted obediently along behind the Silver Ranger, feeling a dizzy sense of disbelief:  
the Power Rangers were treating him as an equal.  
  
If he had not had that to distract him, perhaps he would have noticed that something else  
was also moving in the bushes. Andros sensed it, though, and felt a chill run down his spine as he  
was suddenly flooded by a sense of deja vu. He glanced over his shoulder as he caught an orange  
glimmer out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Did you see that?" he asked his comrades.  
  
"See what?" asked Zhane, looking around. "I didn't see anything."  
  
"Must have been my imagination," said Andros with an uneasy shrug. "All this  
excitement's got me jumping at shadows. I've never been entirely comfortable in this park,  
anyway."  
  
"You'll feel better when you're back on your own territory," Zhane assured him. "Come  
on! I want to introduce Kinwan to our guest."  
  
"All right, all right," Andros replied. He continued walking, but not without a few  
suspicious looks behind him. Despite his words to Zhane, he knew he was right. He had seen  
something. Someone had been spying on them.  
  
**************************************************  
  
A ring of fire hovered in the tent of the general. Dark Specter preferred to make his  
addresses in person, when he could, or at least as an illusionary projection that would give the  
impression of his actually being there. However, even the fairly sizeable tents that were provided  
for the dark lord's generals were hardly big enough for one of his feet. It was much more  
convenient for Dark Specter to communicate by means of a communication spell.  
  
"Your progress has slowed," he accused, narrowing his fiery eyes at the creature who  
watched him. "You have only two Rangers left in your path. You should be picking up the pace,  
not slowing down!"  
  
Ecliptor regarded his ruler with a steady gaze. All of the Dark Specter's employees were  
expendable, to an extent, but he wasn't likely to harm Ecliptor any time soon. He was a valuable  
helper: honest, loyal, intelligent, skilled in the arts of battle and strategy, and, most importantly,  
utterly unambitious. He was content to be a general and nothing more, and that meant he was  
unlikely to turn on his master. Someone with his particular qualities was harder to replace than  
one of the many boastful and scheming nobles who grudgingly served the Specter for fear of his  
power. That, plus his relationship with the young Princess of Evil made Ecliptor a valuable  
monster, and Dark Specter wouldn't harm him for anything more than an out-and-out revolt.  
  
"The reason there are two Rangers left," Ecliptor replied, "is because the two who didn't  
want to fight in the first place have given up. The two that are left have been the real problem  
from the beginning. Considering that, we haven't done badly."  
  
"You haven't done well, either," Dark Specter insisted. "It shouldn't take an army the size  
of what you have this long to take out a single colony! What have you been doing?"  
  
"Trying to take over the planet and still have something left for you to rule over once  
we're done," answered Ecliptor tersely.  
  
"That doesn't matter. I don't care if you turn the whole planet to dust, just get rid of those  
Rangers!"  
  
"As you wish, Dark Specter," Ecliptor replied.  
  
"He won't be able to do it," interjected a new voice. It laughed hoarsely. Ecliptor didn't  
even turn around.  
  
"What do you know, Darkonda?" he muttered.  
  
"More than you," the bounty hunter replied, grinning his toothy smile.  
  
"I seriously doubt that," Ecliptor replied. "Must you intrude? I'm conducting some  
important business here."  
  
"You mean you're trying to save your hide," answered Darkonda. "Why don't you admit  
it?"  
  
"Would you two save your bickering?" Dark Specter interjected. "You can fight each  
other after you're done fighting Rangers! I order both of you on the job, now! If I don't  
see some progress soon, I'll have the both of you marooned together."  
  
The two monsters looked at each other and shuddered.   
  
"There will be no problems," Ecliptor assured his master.  
  
"You had better hope so," the Dark Specter growled. His image vanished in a swirl of  
smoke.   
  
"Well, that went well, didn't it?" Darkonda chuckled.  
  
"That's right, laugh," muttered Ecliptor. "What did you come in here for, anyway? Just to  
make me look bad in front of Dark Specter?"  
  
"I just like to see you suffer," answered Darkonda. "Things aren't going well for you, you  
know, and they're going to get worse soon."  
  
"If that was a threat..." said Ecliptor threateningly.  
  
"Nothing of the sort," Darkonda replied. "Consider it a warning. There's a new boy in  
town, and the Rangers are getting friendly with him. He's one of Zordon's men."  
  
"Just what I wanted to hear," Ecliptor sighed. "Where did you find this out?"  
  
"Playing in the park," the bounty hunter answered airily. "I was playing in the park, and I  
saw a little bird."  
  
"It must have hit you on the head. What kind of nonsense is that?"  
  
"Not nonsense. The Dark Falcon is on KO-35," said Darkonda.  
  
"Dark Falcon? Last I heard, he was busy bothering Lord Zedd. What's he doing here?"  
  
"Bothering you, most likely," Darkonda answered. "I just wanted to deliver that bit of  
news to brighten your day. Have fun."  
  
He turned to walk out, but Ecliptor clamped a stone hand on his shoulder and held him in  
place. Darkonda turned to glare at his rival.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.  
  
"I could say the same to you," Ecliptor replied. "In case you've forgotten, I am the  
authority here, and you are my soldier. You do not leave if you are not dismissed, and I haven't  
dismissed you yet."  
  
There was just enough iron in the tone that Darkonda, realizing he wasn't going to get  
away without a fight, decided listening wouldn't be a bad idea.  
  
"What do you want?" he asked.  
  
"I want you to obey orders," Ecliptor replied. "In case you didn't notice, Dark Specter  
ordered us both on the job. Since you were so helpful in delivering your little message, I thought  
you would like the honor of eliminating the problem. Get down there and get rid of the Dark  
Falcon."  
  
"Are you crazy? He's dangerous! He's been the downfall of creatures with twice my  
power and more. You can't be serious."  
  
"Consider yourself on assignment," Ecliptor replied. "If you aren't afraid of Power  
Rangers, you shouldn't be afraid of Dark Falcons."  
  
"And what are you going to do?" asked Darkonda. "Dark Specter ordered you on  
the job, too, you know."  
  
"I am. I'm going back to planning how to destroy the Power Rangers," he replied blandly.  
"That's what generals do. Soldiers like you fight battles. Don't worry; I'll bail you out if you get  
in trouble."  
  
"Stick a knife in my back, more likely," Darkonda grumbled.  
  
"That's your department," answered Ecliptor. "No more arguments. Get going."  
  
"Oh, all right," Darkonda replied, "but I'll get you for this later!"  
  
"Not until you get the Dark Falcon," Ecliptor replied. He pointedly turned his attention  
back to his charts, leaving his rival to wander off muttering. The general would have smiled if he  
could - there went one less problem to worry about.  
  
*****************************************************  
  
"And that's how I ended up here," Skull finished, polishing off the last of his sandwich. He  
and the Ranger boys were sitting around a table, having a snack while Skull told them his story.  
No details had been spared - everything that had happened to him from his first meeting with  
Cedar and missing his flight to Terra Venture had been revealed. Now he sat back and watched  
his new-old friends to see what they would think of it.  
  
"Well, I can see why you're upset," said Zhane, "but what do you want us to do about it?  
Not that I wouldn't be glad to go kick some sense into that Firebird of yours, but we can't leave  
KO-35."  
  
"But I don't want you to. That's just it," said Skull. "I want to do this by myself."  
  
"Then why-" Zhane began, but Andros cut him off.  
  
"So what you're really asking for," he said, "is hero lessons."  
  
"That's it!" said Skull. "Can you help?"  
  
"We can try," Andros replied. "What do you want help with?"  
  
"I dunno. Anything. If I knew how to be a hero, I wouldn't be asking you."  
  
"Well... how are you at fighting?" Zhane asked.  
  
"So-so," said Skull. "Actually, I don't know anything, but the Dark Faclon does, so I just  
follow him... Did that make any sense?"  
  
"Kinda. Our Ranger powers work sort of the same way," Zhane replied, "but if you'd like  
me to give you a couple of pointers..."  
  
"Don't do it," said Andros.  
  
"Well, I could use the help."  
  
"You'll be sorry," said Andros.  
  
"Great!" cheered Zhane. "Right this way."  
  
"I'll patch him up when you're done," said Andros.  
  
That didn't sound very encouraging, but Skull got up and followed Zhane down some  
hallways and through some doors until they found themselves standing in a large room with  
padded floors, clearly some sort of gym. Zhane walked confidently into the center of the room  
and beckoned for his new student to follow him. Skull did so with reluctance, suddenly becoming  
wary of the glint in his friend's eyes.  
  
"Let's see what you can do," Zhane said.  
  
With no more warning than that, he moved in a silver blur, and Skull reflexively jumped  
out of the way. Zhane aimed a punch at him, and something in the back of Skull's brain flickered  
awake in time to tell him that if he moved like this, the blow would be blocked, and since  
he didn't really want to be hit, he moved. Memories moved through his mind, images burned into  
his senses when he'd fought for his life in smoky streets, and with them came the sudden  
realization that his opponent was open right there, and again he moved, and the next thing  
he knew, Zhane was lying on the floor.  
  
"How'd you get down there?" Skull asked.  
  
"I thought you said you didn't know how to fight," said Zhane.  
  
Skull shrugged. "It looks like I picked up a few things while I didn't know I was learning  
them."  
  
"Well, there are still a few things you have left to learn," Zhane replied. "Hey, give me a  
hand, would you?"  
  
"Sure... Like what?" Skull replied, reaching down to help Zhane up.  
  
Zhane gave Skull's arm a pull, and he flipped upside down and fell onto the matt next to  
Zhane.  
  
"That," said Zhane.  
  
"Oh," Skull replied. He closed his eyes and sighed, thinking that this was going to be a  
long afternoon.  
  
********************************************  
  
Some hours later, Zhane left a slightly bruised and battered Skull to recover himself and  
went looking for Andros. He found his teammate in a control room, going over some maps of the  
city and marking out defense strategies.  
  
"How's it going?" Zhane asked.  
  
"Not bad. How's your student?"  
  
"He's not."  
  
"He's not?" Andros repeated. "Not what?"  
  
"Not my student," said Zhane. "I mean, sure he's not this invincible fighter or anything,  
but he's still not that bad even without those powers he's moping about. I can't teach him  
anything. He's your student. Teach him."  
  
"What do you want me to teach him?" asked Andros. "What do I know, anyway?"  
  
"How to be a hero," Zhane replied. "Go talk to him. He's in the training room... and I've  
gotta jam before Kinwan comes looking for me. I told him I'd work on getting the computers in  
the secondary control room working again, and I was supposed to do it yesterday."  
  
"What were you doing yesterday?"  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Zhane replied, grinning. "Bye, Andros. Have fun talking to  
Eugene."  
  
"Bye, Zhane," Andros replied.   
  
He watched with a bemused look as his friend ambled away, then shrugged and went  
looking for Skull. He found the young man sitting in a dejected heap on the floor, playing absently  
with his medal of valor. Skull didn't even look up when Andros came in.  
  
"Things not going well?" Andros asked.  
  
"Not exactly," answered Skull. He flicked the medal and made it swing on its ribbon,  
spinning around like a tiny gold sun. "You know, I should be really proud of this thing. You'd  
think I would be, wouldn't you? Well, I hate it!"  
  
With a sudden movement, he flung it across the room. Andros jumped to try to catch it,  
but it hit the wall with a clang and bounced off. The Red Ranger scooped it up and glared at  
Skull.  
  
"What did you do that for?" he asked.  
  
"Because it's all a lie, that's why," said Skull. "I didn't earn it. I don't deserve it."  
  
"I don't believe that," Andros replied.  
  
"But you heard what happened. They gave me this medal for destroying Zedd, and I  
didn't! I let all those people think they were safe. I let them down."  
  
"So what do you think you are? Psychic?" Andros retorted. "You told me yourself you  
were sure Zedd was gone. You didn't lie to anyone."  
  
"But... but I..."  
  
"Listen," said Andros. "What is this thing, anyway? It's a medal of valor. It means you did  
something no one else was brave enough to do, and you came out alive. That's why you have a  
medal now. Do you know how rare this thing is? Zordon doesn't just give out medals for little  
things. I don't know anyone else alive who has one of these."  
  
Skull didn't look convinced. "Maybe Zordon misjudged me."  
  
"Zordon doesn't misjudge people. If he says you deserve a medal, you do."  
  
"Even after all the messes I've made? I keep making mistakes!"  
  
"And you think the rest of us don't?" Andros asked. He shook his head. "Okay, let's try  
something else. What do you think a hero is supposed to be like?"  
  
"Um..." Skull hesitated, trying to find words for his image. "I just always thought they  
wouldn't mess up like I do. They'd know how to do things right."  
  
"They wouldn't lose fights, either, would they?" added Andros. "And never get scared.  
And never wish they could give it all up and go home. Right?"  
  
"Yeah, that's it," said Skull glumly.  
  
"A real hero would be just perfect," said Andros. "Well, let me tell you something. They  
don't exist."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"That hero you're telling me about doesn't exist," Andros repeated. "There's no such  
person. And if that's who you want to be, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. You're  
never going to manage all that. No one can."  
  
"Then how am I going to get anything done?" Skull demanded. "I can't win like this!"  
  
"You're not listening. I told you, none of us is that kind of hero. All of us make  
mistakes and get scared and wish we could just hide somewhere until it's all over. Don't you think  
I wish that all the time? Look, have you noticed that there are only two Rangers here? Doesn't  
that seem strange?"  
  
"Well, now that you mention it..."  
  
"You know where they are? They quit. They gave up and walked away, because they  
couldn't take it anymore. They couldn't stand getting hurt, and seeing other people get hurt. Now  
it's just Zhane and me, just trying to hold on. And you know what? We're losing." Andros  
spat the word out the way Skull had thrown the medal. "Sooner or later, we are going to lose this  
fight. All we can do is stall for time and try to get as many people away to safety as possible."  
  
"But - but - but..." Skull tried to stammer out an objection, but then decided not to even  
bother. He kept forgetting that this was what he'd consider the past, and that he knew what the  
future of this Ranger would be. He'd heard the story a million times on TV - how Andros had left  
KO-35 after it was overrun by monsters, only to eventually meet the rest of the Space Rangers  
and become the force that would finally overthrow the Dark Specter so they could take the planet  
back.  
  
*So it's going to work out for the best,* Skull realized, *at least for him,  
anyway. I wonder if I should tell him?*  
  
"Doesn't sound very heroic, does it?" Andros asked.  
  
"Maybe not," he admitted reluctantly. "But... I don't know. You've got me all confused  
again."  
  
"Well, maybe you need to think about it."  
  
"I'm starting to hate that word think," Skull muttered.  
  
"Try it anyway. Sometimes it works." Andros walked over to Skull and put the medallion  
back in his hand, then walked away. Skull looked at the medal, noticing that the soft gold had  
been dented against the wall, one side slightly flattened.  
  
*I need to learn to stop throwing things,* he thought. *That's what got me  
into this mess. Then again, if I hadn't, Hemlock would have died. That wouldn't be so good,  
either. This is all confusing.*  
  
He decided he couldn't even think about it, and turned his mind to other thoughts,  
especially that business Andros had given him about how the heroes he imagined didn't exist. But  
that was silly, wasn't it? He'd seen them on TV all the time when he was in high school, tough,  
competent beings in sleek armor with high powered weapons... Well, all right, he'd had some  
pretty cool armor and weapons, too, when he was the Dark Falcon. He'd never seen the Power  
Rangers lose, except for that one awful battle at the end when everything had gone wrong.  
  
*I remember that. We were all fighting in the streets. I fought. Bulk and I were the first  
ones to stand up and say that we were Power Rangers. I did that with no powers at all. And then  
there was the time we met that Tridor critter and fought with the robots. He said we were going  
to be legends on his planet. Okay, maybe I can do something on my own.*  
  
And what about the Power Rangers? Hadn't he gone to school with most of them? They  
weren't his image of perfect heroes; they were just ordinary kids. Maybe they were a little more  
athletic or talented than some, but still, he'd seen Cassie get in trouble for forgetting her  
schoolwork, seen Carlos get stuck in depressions it took extension ladders to get out of, and even  
TJ struck out sometimes. Hadn't Kimberly told him she got frightened when she was still a  
Ranger? If she was a Ranger, did that mean the friends she'd hung out with were, too? Even that  
dorky kid he and Bulk used to drop in trash cans? If that was true, then...  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the wailing of a distant alarm. Skull forgot all his worries  
and headed for the door, following the noise. Along the way, he ran into Andros and Zhane, who  
seemed to have the same idea he did. They looked at him with faint puzzlement, but he just  
shrugged and said nothing. They reached their destination together, a metal room bounded by  
rings of computers, presided over by an elderly man with a white beard and stern eyes.  
  
"What's up?" asked Andros.  
  
Instead of replying, the man gestured to one of the screens, and it obediently lit itself up,  
showing a dark figure marching through the streets of an already battle-scarred portion of the city.  
At intervals, its eyes would flash, and whatever was resting under that burning gaze would  
suddenly go up in a flare of fire and smoke. Skull stared at it, realizing it was familiar.  
  
"Ecliptor," he said.  
  
"You know him?" asked Zhane quizzically.  
  
"I will, in a couple of years," Skull replied. "The time travel thing again."  
  
"That part of the city is already ruined," said Andros, frowning. "He's up to something."  
  
"I bet I know what it is," said Skull. "I bet he's looking for me. Remember what I said  
about Terra Venture? When I went there, monsters started coming out of the woodwork hunting  
for me."  
  
"And what do you want to do about it?" asked Zhane.  
  
"I think," Skull replied, "I want to let him find me. Are you guys going to fight him?"  
  
"We don't get much choice. We can't just leave him there," said Andros.  
  
"Then take me along," said Skull.  
  
Zhane quirked an eyebrow. "Aren't you afraid of getting blown up without your powers?"  
  
"I've managed before."  
  
"In that case, maybe we can help you out," said Zhane. "Hey, Kinwan, c'mere."  
  
He beckoned the old man over to him and whispered something. Kinwan nodded and  
walked away, returning moments later carrying a box, which he handed to Zhane.  
  
"What color do you like?" asked Zhane. "Blue or Black?"  
  
"Black," answered Skull.  
  
Zhane opened the box and tossed something out of it, making Skull jump to catch it. It  
turned out to be a small metal box on a strap, with a lid that flipped open and an enticing array of  
buttons inside. Skull stared at it, wondering why it looked familiar.  
  
"What do I do with this?" he asked.  
  
"You put it on," said Zhane, "and you say, 'Let's Rocket!' and push 3-5-5-ENTER."  
  
"Wait a minute - you mean this thing...?"  
  
"Is a morpher, yes." Zhane finished.  
  
"For turning into a Power Ranger?"  
  
"If that's what you want to do," said Andros. "We won't make you, but you really will be  
more help this way."  
  
"I'll do it!" Skull eagerly strapped the morpher onto his wrist, grinning like a kid at  
Christmas, and the two more experienced Rangers smiled at each other.  
  
"Okay, then," said Andros. "Ready? Let's Rocket!"  
  
Something shifted in the air, and Skull followed it, hardly having to think about the next  
movements he made, typing in the code he'd been given. What he thought about was the sudden  
flash of light, the rush of energy, and remembering all over again what it felt like to be a hero.  
  
****************************************************  
  
Not for the first time, Skull was wishing he could fly. Lately, though, he'd been able to  
actually make that wish come true, and now he was getting annoyed that even as a Power Ranger,  
he was having to get around on his own two feet. Furthermore, he was annoyed at being annoyed;  
he should be grateful that his friends had entrusted him with this kind of power, but instead he  
was thinking longingly about his oddly hued costume and his purple wings and Cedar on his  
shoulder giving him advice. Andros was a good leader, but Cedar was his friend. She was prettier,  
too.  
  
"So, here's here's the plan," Andros was saying. "Ecliptor doesn't know that we've given  
Eugene the Black Ranger powers. If we go out first and fight Ecliptor, he'll think we're alone and  
trying to protect Eugene."  
  
"Don't you trust me to fight along with you?" asked Skull, disappointed.  
  
"Sure we trust you! That's the whole idea!" said Zhane. "We're just the diversion, get it?  
We keep Clippy busy, and you jump out when he least expects it and zap him good. He'll never  
know what hit him!"  
  
"Ah! I gotcha!" said Skull, grinning behind his helmet. "I can do that!"  
  
"Great! Just head on up to the rooftops and keep an eye on us until we signal. Got it?"  
asked Zhane.  
  
Skull nodded. "Sure. Just one thing - how do I get up on the roof?"  
  
"Just jump," Andros informed him.  
  
"I can do that?"  
  
"Sure, just try it," said Zhane. "We do it all the time. It's fun."  
  
"Okay, if you're sure."  
  
Skull stared up at the top of a building for a moment, then gathered himself up and sprang.  
Sure enough, he rose effortlessly to the top and landed on the edge of the roof. He teetered there  
for a moment, found his balance, and scampered to firmer ground. Then he turned around to look  
down at his friends.  
  
"That was pretty cool!" he said. "I never did get the hang of taking off from a standstill  
before. See ya at the battleground!"  
  
He vanished again. The other two Rangers looked at each other, and Zhane shrugged.  
  
"That wasn't exactly how we planned this," said Andros.  
  
"It's close enough," Zhane replied, "and it was what he needed to hear. Do you think he'll  
let us down?"  
  
Andros thought it over for a while. "No, I don't think so. I think he has more going for  
him than he knows. Come on, let's go find Ecliptor."  
  
At that moment, the Rangers' quarry was simply standing in the middle of the street,  
waiting. He knew he had made enough noise to attract his enemies' attention. Now he just had to  
bide his time and wait for them to come. They would not bring their friend with them, of course,  
not when he was without his powers, as Darkonda claimed he was. The two Rangers would come  
alone, and he would fight them just as he always did. Maybe he would be beaten - that had  
happened before, and would probably happen again. If he couldn't get the upper hand in this  
battle, Darkonda was waiting in the wings to step in and take the Rangers by surprise, and no true  
hero would leave his friends in a fight they couldn't win. The Dark Falcon would come, and if he  
didn't, two Rangers destroyed was two fewer problems he needed to worry about. It was a well  
thought out plan. Now, if Darkonda didn't mess this up...  
  
"There you are, Ecliptor," said Andros's voice. The monster turned around to face him  
with his usual calm red-eyed stare.  
  
"We meet again, Ranger," he said.  
  
"What are you doing here?" the Red Ranger asked. He and Ecliptor exchanged glares;  
years of practice had taught them to be very good at conveying emotions without facial  
expressions.  
  
"I'm under the impression that you've hidden something," Ecliptor replied. "I'm here to  
find it."  
  
"Yeah, well, you might not like what you wind up finding," said Zhane. "Us, for example.  
I'm ready for a fight. How about you?"  
  
"Nothing would please me more."  
  
Ecliptor sprang, and the Rangers leaped away in separate directions, reaching for their  
lasers to fire a few parting shots. They landed, tumbled, and sprang to their feet, ready to attack  
with blades and fists.  
  
High above, Skull watched the battle, feeling more than a little nervous. After all, the  
Rangers had given him a job to do, and he was only half sure he knew how to do it. Saying, "Just  
drop in and fight," was fine, but the practical applications were a little more difficult. He glanced  
up at the sky for a moment, trying to gather his resources, and as he glanced back down again, he  
noticed something moving. He looked closer. Yes, there was definitely a shape moving around on  
a rooftop, across the street and up the block a little from where he was. It was slinking along in  
something like the way he would have moved in the old days, when he was trying to keep Ms.  
Appleby from noticing him and asking him about the homework he hadn't done.  
  
*Definitely not good,** Skull decided. *Well, I never got a break, and neither  
will he.*  
  
Feeling very grateful that he had opted for the darker, less noticeable costume, he leaped  
across the narrow gap of the street and onto the roof of the building across from him. Quickly, he  
darted into the nearest shadow and crouched there, watching. The shape, whatever it was, didn't  
seem to have noticed him. It was crouched over the edge of the building, intent on the battle that  
was going on in the streets. Skull spared his friends a glance; at the moment, the fight seemed to  
be evenly joined. It didn't look like they'd be needing him. However, sneaking closer only  
confirmed Skull's belief that the watching stranger was looking for trouble - nothing that ugly  
could be friendly! As a matter of fact, he was getting the sneaky feeling that he had seen a brute  
like this on television once or twice.  
  
*Well, if I've seen him in the future, I can't destroy him,* Skull thought, *but I  
sure can give him a run for his money. Let's see how he likes this!*  
  
Second later, Darkonda was startled by a series of laser bolts raining down around him,  
and he nearly fell off the roof in surprise. Looking up, he was met by a menacing figure in black  
armor, casually holding a smoking pistol.  
  
"Where did you come from?" Darkonda managed to splutter. "You were supposed to be  
washed out a long time ago?"  
  
"Don't I know it," Skull said. "Funny how that works out, isn't it?"  
  
Darkonda's eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute. You're not him, are you? I know that voice -  
you're the Dark Falcon. I see your pathetic friends managed to scrape up some powers for you,  
huh? Well, having them and knowing how to use them are two different things."  
  
"Maybe so, but I happen to know I'm going to outlive you."  
  
"Cocky, aren't you? Well, why don't you put your morpher where your mouth is? Come  
and get me if you're so tough!"  
  
Seeing no other real choice at the moment, Skull shrugged and fired a few more rounds  
from his pistol. While the monster was still dealing with this, Skull dove through the smoke to  
attack. Darkonda saw the move at the last possible movement and struck out half-blindly, but it  
was enough to throw his opponent off balance. Skull staggered back, and the monster moved in  
to press his advantage, leaving the inexperienced Ranger no point but to take the blows and  
defend himself as best he could.  
  
Suddenly, there was a burst of light that shot up into the sky. Three more followed it, and  
Skull realized that this was the signal his friends had mentioned, and that they were in trouble. He  
had to get down there and distract Ecliptor somehow, but at the moment, he was a little tied up.  
  
"Worried about something, Falcon?" Darkonda sneered.  
  
"Like you wouldn't believe," Skull replied, "but maybe you can help me out."  
  
"And why would I want to help you?" asked the monster.  
  
"I never said you wanted to."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
The next thing Darkonda knew, his opponent had jumped at him in a flying tackle,  
knocking him off his feet. There was a brief scuffle, ending with Skull actually picking up the  
monster and throwing him. Darkonda bellowed as he plummeted several stories, narrowly missing  
Ecliptor. Skull looked down with satisfaction at his enemy, who was now plastered to the  
pavement in a way that reminded him of a squashed bug. Ecliptor glared at his partner in crime.  
  
"You blundering idiot! What do you think you're doing?" he growled.  
  
Darkonda muttered something incoherent, spitting out a mouthful of gravel and a tooth.  
  
"Got a problem, Ecliptor?" asked Zhane, laughing.  
  
"Looks like your friend there bit the dust," Andros commented.  
  
"Hey, good one, Andros!" his friend replied. "I've gotta remember that."  
  
Ecliptor kicked Darkonda. "Get up! You're making a fool out of me!"  
  
"Not my fault," Darkonda managed to mutter. "It was that Falcon, or Ranger, or whatever  
he is! He got in a sneak attack on me!"  
  
"You call that an excuse?" Ecliptor growled. "Some warrior you are, letting yourself get  
fooled by a-"  
  
The rest of the tirade was cut off as laser bolts fell from the sky, narrowly missing him.  
Skull grinned behind his mask; he had gotten pretty good at aerial attacks.  
  
"You were saying?" Zhane teased.  
  
Ecliptor stared at the Ranger with murder in his eyes, but he knew when he'd been beaten.  
  
"Laugh all you want," he said. "Next time, you won't be so lucky - and you won't have  
your annoying friend with you, either. Until then..." The monsters vanished in shimmers of green  
and copper.   
  
Skull bounded down from the top of the building to join his friends, and they greeted him  
enthusiastically.  
  
"You were great!" said Andros. "I told you you had it in you."  
  
"It was nothing," Skull replied bashfully. "I just saw him hanging around and figured he  
was up to no good."  
  
"Well, you were a big help," the Red Ranger replied. "I'm glad we had you on our side.  
Was Ecliptor right, that you're not going to stay and help us?"  
  
Skull sighed. "Yeah. I wouldn't mind helping you guys, but... this isn't where I belong.  
Oryllia needs me, and I promised Cedar I'd come back. I'm meant to be the Dark Falcon, not a  
Power Ranger."  
  
He made a movement, and his armor vanished with a feeling of setting something free.  
Skull handed the morpher back to Zhane.  
  
"I guess we knew that," said Zhane. "But we are going to see you again, right?"  
  
Skull grinned. "Right. We'll meet again, sometime soon. I promise - you may not see me,  
but on the day when Dark Specter is destroyed, I'll be right there fighting with you. Oh, and  
Andros, about your sister... I've met her. She's a nice girl."  
  
"You've met her? ... No, I'm not going to ask," said Andros. "The future has to happen in  
it's own time, but thanks for giving me hope. I'm glad to know she'll be all right... her and my  
world."  
  
"Welcome. That's better than anyone did for me." Skull sighed. "I don't think I'm going  
to get over Tien being destroyed."  
  
"Tien was destroyed?" asked Zhane.  
  
"I dunno. Wasn't it?"  
  
"Not as far as I know," Zhane replied. "At least, I don't think it was. It's hard to be sure."  
  
"What he's trying to say," said Andros, "is that nobody knows for sure what happened to  
Tien."  
  
"But - but I was told..." Skull stammered.  
  
"Some people think it was destroyed. Some of them don't," said Andros. "The truth is, it  
just disappeared one day, and nobody's heard from them since. It's uncertain what's  
happened to them, really."  
  
Uncertain. Something about that word was like a weight lifting off of Skull's  
shoulders. *It's uncertain. Maybe I can change what happened. Maybe nobody knows  
because the real battle's not over yet. I still have a chance.*  
  
"Thanks," he said. "You can't know how much that means to me."  
  
"Fair trade," Andros replied. "Now, get going! Your world is waiting for you, remember?  
Don't worry - the Power will go with you."  
  
"Right." Skull took the Crystal of All times in his hands, closed his eyes, and concentrated.  
When he was sure of what he wanted to say, he spoke the words aloud: "Take me back to the  
time and place I came from!"  
  
And then everything was lost again in swirling lights.  
  
************************************************************  
  
When he came around, he found himself in darkness. It took a moment for his eyes to  
readjust, showing him only the faint light of a candle that had not burned down even an inch from  
the time he had left. Cedar was still sleeping peacefully; she hadn't even moved. Nothing had  
changed... nothing but Skull himself. He tiptoed over to where his partner rested and carefully  
slipped the Crystal back where it belonged. Then, after a moment, he shook her shoulders, and  
she came awake, blinking sleepy amber eyes.  
  
"Eugene?" she murmured. "What's happening?"  
  
"We're going out. We're going to find that Firebird and that fake Falcon so I can give  
them a piece of my mind."  
  
"Now? Why not in morning?"  
  
"I'll chicken out if I wait 'till morning. We've gotta do this now, before I can change my  
mind."  
  
Cedar nodded and began crawling out of bed with no further complaints. They made their  
way out into the hallways, picking their way quietly through the shadows.  
  
"Once we get outside, can you make sure they can find us?" Skull whispered.  
  
"Easy," Cedar replied. She tapped the Crystal with one finger. "This is for fire magic. Can  
make sure anyone notices us."  
  
"Good."  
  
The streets were cold and silent, and though they tried to be silent, they could hear their  
footsteps crunching on the gravel of the streets. Skull tried to keep from shivering and told  
himself it was only the cold that was doing it. Once they had gotten far enough from the King's  
lair that they deemed it safe, they paused in the middle of a wide street. Cedar bowed her head  
and touched the Crystal of All Times, murmuring softly, and Skull watched as a bloom of light  
rose up over the city. All around them, other lights came on, those of people realizing that  
something was happening and waking up to see what it was. And in the heart of the city, within  
the dark castle, someone else also noticed.  
  
"I sense a disturbance," said the Firebird, ruffling his feathers nervously. "If  
you ask me, something's about to go wrong."  
  
"Nothing is going to go wrong," said Charla tartly. "You've been fidgety all night. What's  
the matter with you?"  
  
The Firebird drew himself up. "Just because I happen to have senses developed  
beyond those of mere mortals-"  
  
"The featherduster is right," said Thorald, looking out the window. "Get a look at this,  
why don't you?"  
  
The other conspirators gathered around the window and looked out. Hanging in the sky  
were a row of symbols written in golden fire, glittering gently.  
  
"What in blazes?" Charla muttered.  
  
"It's a challenge," the Firebird replied. "And since it's written in Tienese, I  
can only say that our friend Eugene isn't taking the loss of his powers as quietly as I'd hoped.  
What a pity."  
  
"Little upstart. What does he think he's going to do to me?"" asked Thorald, fingering the  
Firebird medallion. "Without this, he's nothing."  
  
"Should we accept the challenge, then?" asked Charla.  
  
"Do as you please," said the Firebird. "I'm not having any part of it."  
  
"Well, I for one want to see what this thing can really do," Thorald replied. "Not that he'll  
be much of a challenge, but it'll be a start."  
  
With a word of command, he transformed into the Dark Falcon and jumped out the  
window. Charla and the Firebird watched him go.  
  
"This shouldn't take long," said Charla. "Thorald will reduce them both to dust in no  
time."  
  
The Firebird stared at the sky seriously. "Knowing what he's up against, I'm not so  
sure."  
  
Meanwhile, Skull was fidgeting.  
  
"Do you think he's coming?" he asked.  
  
"He'll come," Cedar replied. "Don't worry too much."  
  
"I can't help it. I want this to be over."  
  
"Oh, it will be," said a voice from the darkness of an alley. "Very soon."  
  
Into the light stepped... Skull didn't even want to put a name to him. There was the  
familiar black armor with its red feather patterns, the violet gloves and boots, the purple wings  
and mask, but the face was all wrong. It struck him as a perversion, and for a moment he thought  
he might be sick. He gritted his teeth and fought back the reaction, and it passed. That small  
victory was enough to make him feel he could face this adversary, and he heard himself start to  
speak.  
  
"You have a lot of nerve showing up here like that," he said.  
  
"You have a lot of nerve calling me here," Thorald replied.  
  
"No," said Skull, shaking his head, "I don't have a lot of nerve. I just know when  
something's wrong, and you're wrong. You're not the Dark Falcon, and you never will be. Those  
powers are mine. Now, give them back."  
  
Thorald grinned wickedly. "Why don't you try taking them from me?"  
  
He moved quickly for his laser and shot a few pulses of red energy, but Skull remembered  
his training and dodged. He turned to face his attacker with a calm that the impostor found  
unnerving.  
  
*I can do this,* thought Skull, grabbing at the thoughts that rose up in the back of  
his mind. *Andros said the Power would go with me, and it will. It's been with me all along,  
even before I became the Falcon. It was there all along, and I don't need an amulet to use it.*  
  
"You're wasting your time," said Thorald. "You can't fight the Dark Falcon."  
  
"That's right," said Skull, "but you're not him."  
  
Thorald laughed. "You think so? You're crazy."  
  
"No. You're the one who's crazy," said Skull. "The Dark Falcon is the champion of Tien.  
He fights for what's right, not to help some selfish king keep his hold on a planet that isn't really  
his. Let me tell you something. I never wanted this job. I agreed to be the Dark Falcon because I  
didn't want to see anyone else get hurt. I've been attacked, and I've been insulted. I've nearly lost  
the best friends I have in the universe. I've fought when I was hurt and scared stiff. I've bled and  
I've cried and I've done the things nobody in their right mind would do, just so I'd be worthy to  
call myself by that name. Now let me tell you something else - it doesn't matter what you or the  
Firebird or anyone else does. I am Eugene Truebird, Son of the Skull, and I am the Dark  
Falcon!"  
  
Without even thinking what he was doing, he flung up his hand, and the falconer called to  
the falcon, and it came. While Thorald watched in amazement, his armor dissolved into red-purple  
flames and rose up into the sky. For an instant, it flashed through the air, a bird of fire more  
brilliant than the Firebird ever was. Then it dropped to Skull's outstretched hand and wrapped  
him in flames, and when they were gone, there was a steely-eyed winged warrior standing there  
who suddenly looked very, very dangerous.  
  
"These powers are mine," he said softly, "and no one is ever going to take them away  
from me again. Understand?"  
  
Thorald apparently understood nothing of the sort. With a furious snarl, he pulled a knife  
from a sheath at his belt and rushed at the Dark Falcon. Skull's hand moved to grab his attacker's  
wrist and twist it painfully, and the knife slipped from Thorald's nerveless hand. With his free  
hand, Skull drew his sword and put the tip to Thorald's throat.  
  
"You surrender?" he asked.  
  
Thorald nodded vigorously, eyes wide with fear.  
  
Skull glanced at Cedar. "I think he thinks I'm going to kill him. I can't really do that,  
though, I don't think. What are we going to do with him?"  
  
"I'll take care of it. Just hold him still," Cedar replied.  
  
She walked closer, her fingers brushing gently against the Crystal of All Times. Skull  
heard her muttering gentle words of command in Tienese. "Ara chii, kikara chii. Aria chii, cria  
veer!" If one is a man, he must walk like a man. If you are a man, be unchanged!  
  
Thorald shrieked as orange lights swarmed around him like fireflies, lighting on his skin  
and clothing one by one. The lights became thicker until he was invisible, and then the mass  
slowly shrank, smaller than they should have been able to become without revealing their captive  
again. When they were finally gone, all that was left was a ragged bird with a bald head.  
  
"Is that him?" asked Skull, eying the buzzard dubiously.  
  
"It is," Cedar replied. "That was a spell for casting things into their true form. He was not  
a very good man."  
  
"Sure looks that way," Skull replied. He waved his sword at the buzzard. "Go on! Get  
outta here! Scat already!"  
  
The buzzard flapped its wings clumsily and fluttered off into the night. Skull watched him  
go, grinning to himself.  
  
"I'm glad that's over," he said. "But it's not going to happen again. I think the Firebird's  
going to have a tough time getting my powers away from me again. I didn't realize 'till just now  
how important they are. I feel like... I feel like they're part of me now."  
  
"Because you finally accepted them," Cedar replied. Impulsively, she flung her arms  
around him and hugged him tightly, and he hugged her back. "You were wonderful, Eugene."  
  
"Thanks, Cedar. I feel pretty wonderful right about now."  
  
"What happens next?" she asked.  
  
Skull's eyes turned toward the horizon, where Zedd's dark castle showed against the  
violet sky like a tear.  
  
"Next," he said, "we find that Firebird, and we teach him a lesson." 


End file.
